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ELEMENTS 



MORAL SCIENCE 



BY FRANCIS WAYLAND, D. D. 

President of Brown University, and Professor of Moral Philosophy, 



ABRIDGED AND ADAPTED TO THE USE OF SCHOOLS 
AND ACADEMIES, BY THE AUTHOR, 



BOSTON: 
GOULD, KENDALL & LINCOLN. 

AND SOLD BY THE PRINCIPAL BOOKSELLERS THROUGHOUT 
THE UNITED STATES. 

1835. 



-^ 



\ 



^ 



b 






Entered, according to an Act' of Congress, in the year 1835, ^ 

at the Clerk's Office of the District of Rhode Island, by | 

Francis Wayland. | 






SOS TON: 

S. N. Dickinson, Printer, 

52 Washing ton St. 



PREFACE. 

In the following work, I have at- 
tempted to present the more important 
truths of Moral Science, in such a form 
as may be useful in Schools and 
Academies. With this view, it has 
been not merely abridged^ but also re- 
written ; the argument in general omit- 
ted, and merely the result stated ; and 
the illustrations adapted to the compre- 
hension of the young. The style, so 
far as possible, has been rendered sim- 
ple; and the words and phrases select- 
ed with special reference to the ordinary 
language of persons not accustomed to 
moral speculations. Such at least has 



IV. PBEFACE. 



been the attempt. How far it has suc- 
ceeded, can be learned only from ex- 
periment. 

To each section and chapter, a num- 
ber of Questions have been added. 
These are not designed as aids for learn- 
mg the text ; but, as exercises for prac- 
tice, after the text has been learned. 
They, therefore, sometimes involve in- 
ferences from the truths stated in the 
text, and at other times, the practical 
application of the doctrines taught, to 
the purposes and business of ordinary 
life. 

As this work is designed for schools, 
it may not be amiss to suggest the 
method, in w^hich, the author supposes 
it may be most successfully taught. He 
would advise, that, in general, the text 



PREFACE. f. 



be given as a lesson by itself. After 
this has been learned, the succeeding 
lesson, may be, the questions which fol- 
low, with a review of the section to 
which they refer. In this manner, I 
think the pupil will be the most likely 
to exercise his own mind upon the sub- 
ject, and will thus understand it better, 
and retain it more perfectly. It is of 
course understood, that these questions 
are but a specimen of those which might 
easily be raised from the subjects pre- 
sented. A thoughtful instructor will de- 
rive great pleasure from adding to them 
from his own reflections. It will also 
be a useful exercise, for each pupil to 
furnish questions to be answered by the 
other members of the class. If the in- 
s^tructor feel disposed to examine more 



ELEMENTS OF MORAL SCIENCE. 



Part L 



CHAPTER I. 

of moral law, of moral action, and of 
intention. 

Section L 
Of Moral Law. 

Moral science is the science of moral law. 
Whenever men observe that two events are 
so connected together, that, as often as one 
occurs, the other always follows it, they ap- 
ply to such a connection the name of law. 
They also call the first event the cause, and 
the second the effect. For instance : 

II has been observed, that when water is 
cooled down to a certain point, it becomes 
solid, or is changed into ice ; and hence, 
chemists have laid it down as a law that water 
freezes at this particular point. Again, they 
have observed, that, if its temperature be 
raised to a certain point, it turns into vapor, 
or boils ; hence they have laid it down as 
1 



2 OF Law. 

another law^ that, at this particular point, 
water boils ; that is^ thoy mean to inform u^ 
of the universal fict, that, whenever, under 
given circumstanees, one event occurs, the 
other event will also invariably occur. And 
they say that cold is the cause of the freezing 
of water, and heat the cause of its boiling. 

But, it is evident, that two events could not 
be thus mvariably connected, unless there 
were some power exerted to connect them, 
and some being, v\ho, at all times, and in all 
places, exerted this power. Hence the fact, 
that the laws of nature exist, teaches us the 
existence of the Supreme Being, the Creator 
and Preserver of all things. And hence, every 
change which we see^is a proof of the existence 
of God. 

And it is also evident, that the Creator has 
connected events together in this manner, to 
direct our cow^uct. Thus, having connected 
a certain decree of heat with the boilino; of 
water, he intends to teach us, that, if we wish 
to make water boil, we must raise it to that 
degree of heat. And thus, in general, since 
he adheres unchangeably to the laws which 
he has established, we can never acrornplish 
any purpose, but by attempting to do it in 
precisely the way that he has appointed. 

Let us now apply this to morals. Every 



OF MORAL LAW, 3 

one knows that he perceives certain actions to 
be right or wrong. Every one feels, that it is 
wrong to he, to steal, to murder, to be cruel. 
Every one knows it is right to tell the truih, 
to be honest, affectionate, kind and grateful. 
And, if even a young person will think for 
a moment, he will perceive, that there are 
certain results, which always follow these two 
sorts of actions. If any one do wrong, as 
for instance^ if he lie, or steal, or abuse 
another person, he feels a peculiar sort of 
unhappiness, which is called the feeling of 
guilt ; he is afraid of being detected, he wislies 
he had not done it, and if he be detected h.e 
knows that every one dislikes and despises 
him for his conduct : And, on the contrary, if 
he have done right, as, if he have told the truth, 
been grateful, or have returned good for evil, 
he feels a peculiar pleasure, is satisfied with 
himself, and kaows that all men will look upon 
him with respect. 

Now as these events, and a multitude of 
others, are thus found connected together, we 
desia:nate such a connection by the term law. 
And, as the foundation of this connection is 
what is called the moral nature of an action, 
we call the law a moral law. 

As we find these events, namely y)]easure 
following right actions, and pain following bad 
actions^ to be invariable^ we know |;hat tliej 



4 OF MORAL LAW. 

mnst have been connected together by God 
our Creator and our Judge. And as he has 
manifestly connected them together for the 
purpose of teaching us, we may hence learn, 
how he wishes us to act. Thus, if God have 
always connectod pl<?asure with honesty, and 
pain with dishonesty, it is as plainly his will 
that we should be honest, as though he had 
said so by a voice from heaven. If every 
murderer in a country be punished whh death, 
it is just as clearly a direction for our conduct-, 
without any written prohibition, as whh it. 

By thus observing the consequences of ac- 
tions, we may learn what, in many respects, is 
the law, or will of our Creator. Besides this, 
however, we have a revelation of his will made 
in the Holy Scriptures, in which he both informs 
us how we should act, and also makes known to 
us still further the consequences which he has 
connected with obedience and disobedience. 

These laws, classified and illustrated, form 
the Science of Moral Philosophy. 



Questions. 

1. Give an example^of some natural law, 
that is, of some event wliich you see always 
foUowi g some other event. 

2. Give an example of some moral law. 

3. How do you prove the existence of God? 



or MORAL ACTION. O 

4. Give an example of some law by which 
God iniends to direct our conduct. 

5. Can you remember any instance in your 
life, in which you have felt \he pleasure atten- 
ding good actions and tlie pain attending bad 
actions ? 

6. Why did God connect pain with one 
kind of actions, and pleasure with anotlier kind 
of actions? 

7. If you were to attend to these pleasures 
and pains, would you not know your duty much 
bettei', and be much happier? 

8. Why do you not attend to them, and act 
accordingly ? 

9. Do you think you understand what is 
meant by moral science. Explain h, hi your 
own lan2;uai{e. 



Section II. 
Of Moral Action and Intention. 

It may here be asked, what is a moral ac- 
tion. When any one does any thing o.i pur- 
pose, we call this an action. 

Bui, both brutes and men do things on pur- 
pose. Animals frequently injure each otlier, 
and injure men, with the intention of doing so. 



6 OF INTENTION^ 

If however, we compare the actions of brutes 
with those of men, we shall find that we ob- 
serve a difference between them. We feel 
that the brute does not l{:7iow better^ or does 
not, and cannot know that it is wrong ; while 
we feel that the man does, or can, know that it 
is wrong. Now, as the brute cannot distin- 
guish between right and wrong, we do not 
consider his action a moral action ; but as the 
man can make this distinction, we call his 
action a moral action. 

Again, every one knows that we sometimes 
do things by accident, as, we may injure a 
person by throwing a ball, without seeing that 
he is in the way. In this case, we do not 
feel guilty, although we always should feel 
sorry. Our conscience does not accuse us, 
unless we intended to do harm, or were cul- 
pably negligent. 

Again, we sometimes intend to do some one 
a kindness, and it turns out, in the end, that 
what we have done, is an injury to him. Thus, 
suppose I send some food to a sick man, and 
the food gives him pain ; [ regret liis pain, but 
I cannot disapprove of my act, for I intended 
to do him a kindness. From these, and such 
like instances, any one may see, that we al- 
ways judge of the moral quality of actions by 
the iateulion* 



OF INTENTION, 7 

Our intentions may be wrong in several ways. 

1. Where we intend to injure another. As 
when we strike a person in anger, or speak 
against another, for the sake of making other 
people think badly of him. 

2. Where we intend to gratify ourselves, 
without any regard to the misery we cause to 
others. Such is the case, when one person 
makes sport of another, just for the sake of 
fun, without having any mahce towards him. 
We have no riglit to gratify ourselves, at the 
expense of the happiness of any one else. 

And, in general, we may lay it down as a 
universal rule, that our intention is wrong, 
whenever we intend to do any thing contrary 
to any law of God. This law is summed up 
in the two precepts, thou shalt love the Lord 
thy God with all thy heart ; and, as ye would 
that others should do unto you, do ye even so 
unto them. 

3. As the moral character of an action is 
determined by the intention ; if we intend to do 
wrong, although we may not actually do it, 
this intention is wicked. And when we really 
intend to do good, though we may not be able 
to carry our intention into effect, this intention 
is acceptable to God. Thus God was pleased 
with David because he intended to build the 
temple, though he was not permitted to do it- 



8 OF INTENTION. 

Thus the good wishes, and benevolent desires 
of the poor, may be as much charhy in the 
sight of God, as the ahnsof the rich. 

4. As a good intention is necessary to a 
virtuous action, if an action, which God has 
commanded, be performed without a good in- 
tention, the act is not virtuous in the sight of 
God. It is right to do justice to a poor widow. 
But the unjust judge, who neither feared God 
nor regarded man, and who avenged the poor 
widow because she troubled him, did not per- 
form a virtuous action. His only intention 
was, to get rid of trouble. Thus a child may 
do what its parents command, but do it in a 
bad temper. Though he may do the action ^ 
he is not an obedient child, unless he does it 
from good will, and with love to his parents. 

And, finally, every person must have ob- 
served, that our intentions are very much inliu- 
enced by our previous feelings. Any one who 
allows himself to indulge in envious or revenge- 
ful or malicious feelings, is much more likely 
to do envious or revengeful or malicious ac- 
tions, than another person who never suffers 
himself to indulge in such thoughts. Hence 
we see, that such feelings, as they lead us to do 
wrong actions, must, in themselves, be wrong. 
This is what our blessed Saviour means, when 
he tells us, that out of the heart proceeds all 
manner of evlL 



questions. 9 

Questions. 

1. Do brutes and men both act ? 

2. What is the great difference between 
brutes and men ? 

3. Can we influence men, in any way dif- 
ferent from that in which we influence brutes ? 

4. Can you illustrate this by an example ? 

5. W^hat is the best way of influencing men ? 

6. If men will not be influenced by know- 
ing that an action is right or wrong, what are 
they like ? 

7. Do young persons ever act thus ? 

8. Is it honorable or disgraceful to act thus ? 

9. If a person injure us by accident, ought 
we to feel as if he had done wrong ? If not, 
why ? Give an example. 

10. If a person intend to do us a kindness 
and injure us, ougl)t we to feel grateful or dis- 
pleased ? And why ? Give an example. 

1 1 . Give an example of an action with a 
bad intention. 

12. Give an example of a wrong action done 
thoughtlessly. 

13. Do you ever do such actions ? 

14. Give an example of something wrong, 
when no action is really done. 

15. Give an example of a right action, 
without any good intention. 

16. Show how people make themselves 
wicked by indulging in wicked thoughts. 



CHAPTER 11. 

OF CONSCIENCE. 

Section I. 

M^at we mean by Conscience ; and how Con- 
science admonishes us. 

Whenever we do any thing, there must al- 
ways be something with which we do it. Thus 
if we walk, we must have legs to walk with. 
If we see, we must have eyes to see with. If 
we hear, we must have ears to hear w^ith ; and 
so of a thousand cases. 

This is equally true of our internal, or men- 
tal actions. Thus if we think, or feel, we 
must have a mind, to think or feel with. If 
we remember, w^e must have a memory, to 
remember with. 

Now every one knows that he has the 
power of observing the difference between 
right and wrong in the actions of men ; and 
that he also is subject to peculiar feelings, in 
consequence of the existence of such qualities 



01* CONSCIENCE. II 

In his actions. We give the name conscience^ 
to that faculty which man has, and which brutes 
have not, by which we make this distinction^ 
and suffer or enjoy these feehngs. 

If now, we will observe, we shall see, that 
we are conscious of the feelings of rio;ht or 
wrong in our actions which respect both God 
and man. If a boy tell a lie, though no one 
knows it, or swear, and no one hears him, or 
break the holy sabbath, though no one sees 
Lim, he feels guilty of sin against God, and he 
justly fears that God will punish him. If he 
steal his neighbour's property, or cheat his 
play mates, or strike or abuse them, he feels 
guilty of injuring them, is ashamed to look 
them in the face, and is conscious that he de- 
serves to be punished by his parents for his 
conduct.* 

And hence we say, that conscience is that 
power of the mind, by which we distinguish 
between right and wrong in our actions, w^ieiher 
they have respect to our fellow men, or to 
God. And, as w^e form the same judgments 
respecting the actions of other men, as we do 
respecting our own, we say, that conscience 
is the power by which w^e distinguish betw^een 
right and wrong in moral action. J t is by the 

*lt mny be added, that we are consci us of some of 
these feelings, when we abuse brute animals. 



12 HOW CONSCIENCE 

same power that we feel a sort of impulsion to 
do what we know to be right, and a sort of 
warning not to do what is wrong ; and also, by 
which we in the one case feel pleasure, and in 
the other case feel pain. 

Let us now reflect for a moment upon our 
feelings respecting right and wrong, that w^e 
may observe in what manner conscience ad- 
monishes us. 

1. Suppose we are considering about an ac- 
tion, in order to decide whether or not we shall 
do it. Let us take a case. Suppose a child 
were so wicked as to be angry with his fa- 
ther, and was considering whether he should 
strike him. He would probably think, first of 
all, that his father was stronger than he, and 
would punish him for it. This would show 
that it was unwise, for he would lose more than 
he would gain. But suppose his father was 
sick in bed, and so weak that he could not pun- 
ish his child for doing wrong. If the child 
reflected for a moment, he would feel that it 
was wrong to strike his parent, and that it 
made no difference whether his father could 
punish him or not. And if a child saw^ an- 
other child strike a sick father, instead of doing 
him all the good he could, he would say that 
the child had done a very wicked thing, and 
that he ought to be punished for it. And if 



ADMONISHES US. 13 

lie saw the child, in attempting to strike his 
father, hurt himself badly, every one would be 
sorry for liim, but they would all say that it 
served him right, and that he deserved il. 

Again, suppose a child to feel that it was 
wrong to strike his father, he would also feel 
something which seemed to tell him not do it. 
If he were angry, there would be two kinds of 
feelings within him. His angry feelings would 
urge him to do it, and his conscience would 
say, you ought not to do it. And he would 
be a bad, or a good boy, just as he obeyed his 
angry passions, or as he obeyed his conscience. 
Or, to take another case. Suppose a boy had 
received some money which was given him to 
buy play-things for himself. As he was going 
to the toy shop, he met a poor woman whose 
children v/ere starving for want of something 
to eat. His love of play would urge him to 
buy the play-things. But his conscience 
would urge him to reheve the poor starving 
children. A selfish boy would yield to his 
love of toys, and leave the children to starve. 
A good boy would yield to his conscience, and 
deny himself, and give the money to the poor. 

We may learn how conscience admonishes 
us also, by observing how we feel after an ac- 
tion has been performed. Thus, take the last 
case. If a boy had been benevolent^he would 



i4 HOW CONSCIENCE 

feel happy, he would approve of what he had 
done. And if he had seen such an action 
done by another, he would love him for it, 
and desire to see him rewarded. And if the 
benevolent boy, in passing along the street, 
had found twice as much money as he gave 
aw^ay to the poor children, every one would be 
glad of it, and say that he deserved to be le- 
warded. 

On the contrary, if a boy, instead of be'ng 
kind to these children, had left thern to perish, 
or more especially, if he had called them 
names, or had struck them ; when he went 
away and thought upon his conduct, he w^ould 
feel ashamed, sorry and very unhappy, and 
be afraid that some misfortune would happen to 
him. And if we should see any one act so 
wickedly, we should feel a dislike to him, we 
should not wdsh to associate w4th him, and 
should say that he deserved to be punished. 

This is one great reason why persons who 
have done wrong are so fearful, and cowardly ; 
and why those who have done well are so much 
bolder. He who has done wrong knows that 
he deserves to be punished ; and hence he is 
afraid that every body is going to punish him. 
He who has done w^ell, knows that he deserves 
to be rewarded, and hence he is afraid of no 
one. 



p 



^DMONI S HE S U &. IS 



And this is one reason, why those who have 
done wrong are so commonly found out. He 
who has done wrong is afraid and ashamed, 
and he shows it in his coimtenance, and his 
actions; and the more he tries to conceal it, 
the more clearly he discovers it. Thus the 
Bible tells us, the wicked is snared in the work* 
of his own hand ; and though hand join in 
hand, the wicked shall not go unpunished. 



Questions. 

1. It is said that if we do any thing, we. 
m^ust have something to do it with. Give ex- 
amples of this. 

2. How do you know that you have a con- 
science ? 

3. When you disobey your parents, how do 
you feel I 

4. When you sin against God, how do you 
feel ? 

5. What is it that produces these feelings ? 

6. When you do well, and obey God, how 
do you feel ? 

7. What is it that produces these feelings ? 

8. Have brutes any such feelings ? Why ? 

9. When you have been thinking whether 
or not you should do some particular wrong 
act, have you never feU something teUing you. 
you ought not ? What was it that forbade you ?. 



16 IMPROVEME^NT AND ABUSE 

1 0. When you have been thinking about do- 
ing a good action, have you not felt something 
urging you to do it? What was it that urged 
you to do it? 

11. Do you not feel displeased with per- 
sons who lie, and steal, and act cruelly ? What 
makes you feel thus ? 

12. When a boy has done wickedly, does 
he feel as happy when he comes home as 
when he has behaved well ? Give an ex- 
ample. 

13. Why is wicked conduct so easily found 
out? 

14. Why are people so afraid when they 
have done wrong ? 

15. Why are good people so often happy, 
when they come to die ? 

16. Why are bad people so often misera- 
ble, when they come to die ? 



Section XL 

Of the manner in which we may improve or 
abuse our Conscience. • 

Every one must have observed, that all our 
faculties are capable of being improv^ed or in- 
jured. Some persons of the same age are 



OF CONSCIENCEo 17 

Stronger than others. One man is stronger in 
his arras, and anotlier is stronger in his legs^ 
And so of our interna] facuhies. One man- 
has a powerful, and another a weak memory. 
One has a great facility in writin'j^, and another 
writes with difScultye And so of a vast vari- 
ety of cases. 

Now if w^e look at these instances again,, 
we shall find this to he the general fact 
respecting tliem. Those facult es are the 
strongest which are used the most. If one 
man be stronger than another,, we shall find 
that he uses his strength more, or, that he 
works more than the other. He whose occu- 
pations require the use of his arms, becomes 
strong in his arms, while he who walks or 
runs much, becomes strong in his legs. He 
who uses his memory a good deal, remembers 
easily, that is, acquires a strong memory ; 
while he who rarely tries to recollect what he 
hears or reads, very soon has a weak memory. 
And thus men have come to this i.eneral con- 
clusion, that all our faculties are strengthened 
by use, and weakened by disuse. 

This rule applies to conscience in several 
particulars. 

1. The more frequently w^e use our con- 
science in judging between actions as right or 
wron;£i the more easily shall we learn to judge 
2^ 



18 IMPROVEMENT AND ABUSE 

correctly concerning them. He, who, before 
every action, will dtliberately ask himself, is 
this right or wrong, will seldom mistake what 
is liis duty. And children may do this, just as 
well as grown persons. 

2. Our conscience is also improved in this 
respect by reflecting upon virtuous actions^ 
and thinking upon virtuous character. The 
more we do this, the easier do we learn to 
distinguish and avoid every thing that is 
wrong. It is for this reason that we should 
reflect much on the perfect character of our 
blessed Saviour, if we wish to improve our 
consciences, and make progress in virtue. So 
young persons should reflect upon the char- 
acters of Samuel, Joseph, Daniel, in theBible^ 
and of General Washington and other good 
men of later times. And of course, on the 
contrary, we shall weaken our power of mak- 
ing moral distinctions ; — 

1. If we neglect to inquire into the moral 
character of our actions. If children or men 
go on doing right or wrong,just as it happens, 
without ever inquiring about it, they will at 
last care but little whether they do the one or 
the other ; and in many cases will hardly be 
able to distinguish between them. Every one 
knows, that cliildren v/ho are taught by 
their parents to reflect upon thoir actionsj and 



OF CONSCIENCir. 19 

distinguish between right and wrong, know 
much better how they ought to act, than 
those, whose parents never give them any in- 
struction on the subject. 

2. And again, we injure our power of judg- 
ing correctly of moral actions, if we ahow 
ourselves to witness, or to hear of wickedness, 
or, if we are in the habit of letting wicked 
thoughts dw^ell in our minds. If a boy hear 
another swear, for the first time, he will feel it 
to be wrong. But if he associate much with 
him, he will soon care nothing about it, and 
very soon, will begin to swear himself. The 
same is the case with lying, cruelty ,^ bad lan- 
guage, and any other wickedness. This 
shows us, how careful we should be to avoid 
all bad company, and never to mingle with 
those who persist in doing wrong. 

I have mentioned above, that we could all 
observe in the feeling of conscience, a sort of 
command, urging us to do what is right. Now 
this command becomes stronger or weaker^ 
just in proportion as we use it. For in stance ^ 
he who is careful always to do what his con- 
science commands, finds the power of temp- 
tation over him to be weaker. He who 
strives always to be just, and never to defraud 
any one of the least thing, either in play, or 
in earnest, will find a very strong opposition in 



20 IMPROVEMENT AND ABUSE 

his mind, to doing any injustice ; while he^ 
M who, only occasionally, allows himself to lie 

I or cheat, will find that his opposition to lying 

and dishonesty is gradually growing weaker, 
and it is well, if he do not, in the end, become 
a confirmed thief, and liar. 

And it is moreover to be remarked, that 
both of these last rules, have an effect upon 
each other. The more we are in the habit of 
reflecting upon the right and wrong of our ac- 
tions, the stronger will be our inclination to do 
right ; and the more scrupulously we do right, 
the more easily shall we be able to distinguish 
between right and wrong. 

Once more. I have alluded to the factj 
that conscience is a source of pleasure and of 
pain. It is so, in a greater or less degree, in 
proportion as we use it. 

The oftener we do good actions, the greater 
happiness we receive from doing them. Do 
you not observe how happy, kind and benev- 
olent persons always are ? Do you not ob- 
serve, that persons, w^ho very seldom do a 
good action, do it almost without pleasure, 
while really benevolent and kind people, 
seem to derive constant happiness, from mak- 
ing others happy ? And if there is so much 
happiness to be derived from doing good, we 
ought to be grateful that God has placed us 



OF CONSCIENCE^ 21 

in s: world, in which there is so much good to 
be done, and in which every one,^ poor as well 
as rich, young as well as old, may enjoy this: 
happiness, almost as much as he pleases. 

And on the contrary, the more men diso- 
bey their consciences, the less pain do they 
suffer from doing wrong. When boys first 
lie, or use bad words, they feel guilty, and 
very unhappy ; but if they are so wicked as 
to form the habit of doing so, they soon do it 
without any pain,^and sometimes even become 
proud of it. This is the case with stealings 
or any other wickedness. 

At first view, this might seem to be a bene- 
fit conferred on a wicked person ^ because he 
thus can do wrong, without so much suffering. 
But if we consider it a little more attentively^ 
we shall see that it is exactly the reverse. 
For, when a person is afraid to do wrong, and 
suffers in his conscience, in consequence of it,, 
he will do it rarely and secretly ; but when 
he ceases to be thus pained, he becomes bold^, 
and does it openly, and soon meets with the 
punishment which he deserves. And besides, 
it is very merciful in God, thus to admonish 
us by our conscience, when we do wrong. 
And when we cease to be thus admonished, it 
is a proof that he has become more and more- 
angry with uSy and is letting us go on to our 



22 IMPROVEMENT AND ABUSE 

destruction without any more warning. And 
lesides, this stupidity of conscience will last 
but for a very short tioie. Conscience fj-e- 
quently awakens in sickness, or on a death- 
bed. It will assume an infinitely greater pow- 
er in eternity, than it ever does on earth. 
And then, if we have lived and died wicked- 
ly ; it will be a soiu:ce of torment to us for- 
ever. 

From what we have said, one or two things 
are plain. 

1. The more frequently we do right, the 
easier will it be to do rii^ht ; and the trreater 
pleasure will tlie doing of right give us. The 
oftener we resist temptation, the easier can 
we resist, not only this temptation, but every 
other. And thus, at every step of our pro- 
gress in virtue, we shall be prepared to be 
more and more virtirous ; and our characters 
will become fixed on a surer foundation. 

2. And, on the contrary, the oftener we do 
wrong, the more difficult is it to resist tenrpta- 
tion, the more readily do we fall into sin, and 
with the less remorse do we violate all the 
monitions of conscience. Hence, the farther 
we go on in sin, the more difficult is it to get 
back again, and the less is the hope of our 
recovery. 

3. And hence we should learn how great is 



OF CONSCIENCE. 23 

the importance of resisting every temptation j, 
and of doing right resolutely, under all possi- 
ble circumstances. And, moreover, we learn 
that if we have formed any bad habit, the 
present is the very best time to break off from 
it. We cannot delay for a moment without 
making the case worse ; both by increasing 
the actual difficulty, and diminishing our 
strength to surmount it. And, if this be the 
case with our sins against man, by how much 
more does it hold, in respect to our sins 
against God. 



Questions. 

1. It is sa'd, that every faculty of body or 
mind is improved by use. Give examples of 
this. 

2. It is said, that every faculty of body or 
mind is weakened by disuse. Give an exam- 
ple. 

3. What is the difference between the re- 
suit of industry and of idleness ? Can you 
give an example in both body and mind? 

4. if such be the law of God^ what did he 
mean to teach us ? 

5. What two benefits shall we receive from 
reflecting on the right or wrong oi our ac- 
tions ? 



24 QUESTION S. 

6. What benefit shall we receive from as- 
sociating with the good and virtuous ? 

7. What two injuries do we suffer from act- 
ing without moral reflection ? 

8. What are the consequences of associa- 
ting with the wicked? Give an example. 

9. Suppose a person disobeys iiis con- 
science, what are the results ? Give an ex- 
ample. 

10. Why can good people, that is, those 
who act well, judge better of moral siihjects 
than others? Whose advice should we al- 
ways follow? 

11. If men wish to be happy, how should 
they act ? 

12. If a person do wrong without feeling 
the pains of conscience, is it a good or a bad 
sign ? 

13. What benefit do we receive from the 
habit of actino; rio;ht? 

14. What injury from the habit of acting 
wrong? Give examples of both. 

15. When should a person break off from 
doing wrong ; and begin to act right ? Give 
an example. 



25 

Section III. 

Rules for our Moral conduct. 

Rules to be observed before you resolve to 
do any action* 

1. Always ask yourself, first of all, is this 
action right ? To enable you to answer this 
inquiry^ God gave you a conscience ; and the 
Holy Bible. If you do not use these means 
of ascertaining your dutyj you are very wick- 
ed, and God will hold you guilty. And, al- 
ways ask this question before you begin ; for 
after you have begun, or after you are very 
much set upon doing any thing, it will proba- 
bly be too late. 

2. Remember what we have said about 
persons abusing their conscience by not obey- 
ing it. You have frequently done this, and 
of course your conscience is not as correct a 
guide as it ought to be. Hence, in many 
cases, you may only doubt. Now, when you 
doubt whether any action is right, you ought 
never to do it, unless you as much doubt 
whether you are at liberty to leave it alone. 

3. Make it a settled rule, always to do 
what your conscience directs, and to leave 
undone what it forbids. No matter whether it 

3 



23 RULES FOR 

be in action, or word, or thought, in public or 
private, no matter how much you may suffer 
in consequence of it, always do what you be- 
lieve to be right. There can no evil happen 
to you, so great as to do wrong ; and you can 
gain no good so great, as that which arises 
from doino; right. No matter who is for you, 
or who against you, always obey God in pre- 
ference to every thing else. 

Rules after an action has been performed. 

1. Be in the habh of reflecting upon your 
actions, and of deciding carefully whether 
they were right or wrong. This is called self- 
examination. 

Do this deliberately. It should be done 
alone, and in retirement. If you do not take 
time specially for it, you will never do it 
at all. 

Do it impartially. Try to come to a cor- 
rect conclusion. Put other persons in your 
place, and suppose them to act as you have 
acted, and then ask yourself what judgment 
you would form concerning them. Place be- 
fore you the law of God, and the example of 
Jesus Christ, and see how your actions cor- 
respond with theirs. It is very useful for 
young persons to converse on these subjects 
with their parents and older friends, and ask 
their instruction and direction respecting ac- 



MORAL CONDUCT. 27 

tions, of which they themselves are unable to 
form a decided opinion. 

Suppose now you have examined yourself, 
and have come to a decision respecting your 
actions. 

1. If you have done right, be thankful to 
God, who has enabled you to do so, and let 
the peace which you enjoy lead you to re- 
solve more firmly in favor of virtue. 

2. If your actions have been mixed, that 
is, if some of your motives have been good, 
and some bad, try to see how you came to 
blend them together, and avoid in future the 
causes which led you into error. 

3. If, upon reflection, you see that your 
actions have been wrong, 

1. Reflect upon the action till you are sen- 
sible of its guilt. 

2. Be willing to suffer the pains of con- 
science. Do not try to forget the subject by 
doing something else, but be willing to be 
pained, that you may the more readily avoid 
doing wrong in future. 

8. Do not forget the subject, until you 
have come to a resolution, founded on the 
moral wrong of the action, never to do so any 
more. 

4. If you can repair the injury you have 
done, repair it immediately. If you have 



28 RULES FOR 

told a lie, go immediately and confess it. If 
you have taken what did not belong to you, 
go and restore it. And if restitution be out 
of your power, go at least and acknowledge 
your wrong. 

5. As every wrong action is a sin against 
God, seek in humble repentance his pardon, 
through the merits of his son Jesus Christ. 

6. Observe the courses of thinking or of 
acting which were the causes of your offend- 
ing, and be specially careful to guard against 
them in future. 

7. Do all this, in humble dependence upon 
that merciful and every where present Being, 
who is always ready to grant us all the assis- 
tance necessary to the keeping of his com- 
mandments, and, who will never leave us nor 
forsake us, if W-e humbly put our trust in him. 

From what has been said, we must be con- 
vinced of the solemn responsibility which 
rests upon every human being, whether young 
or old. He is in possession of a faculty, 
which admonishes him of his duty to God 
and to man. It is an every where present 
faculty ; we always hear its monitions when we 
wish to, and frequently it speaks, when we 
desire it to be silent. Hence it is, that if we 
do wrong, we are justly held by our Creator 
to be inexcusable. And all this is still more 



MORAL CONDUCT. 29 

Strongly enforced by the fact, that this con- 
science, endowed with a tenfold energy, will 
ever abide with us, and will be a source of 
pleasure or pain to us throughout eternity. 
And as young persons have a conscience as 
well as those that are older, they are just as 
truly bound to obey it ; and God will as surely 
punish them if they discbey it. 



Questions. 

1. What is the first question to be asked 
before we begin to do any thing ? Give an 
example. Do you act thus ? 

2. When we doubt whether an action is 
right, what ought we to do ? Give an exam- 
ple. 

3. Suppose we believe any action to be 
wrong, wdiat ought to induce us to do it ? 

4. Suppose we believe any thing to be 
our duty, what ought to prevent us from do- 
ing it? Give an example. 

5. Do you ever examine yourself, to know 
whether your actions are right or wrong? 

6. Do you really try to know how to act 
so as to please God ? 

7. When young persons do not know their 
duty, how should they try to learn it ? Give 
an example. 



30 QUESTIONS. 

8. Suppose you had given a poor person 
money, partly from compassion and partly from 
vanity, what should you try to do next time ? 

9. Suppose a person has told a falsehood, 
w^hat should he do, if he mean to do right? 

10. What excuse can we make, if we do 
wrong, since we have a conscience to admon- 
ish us ? Why ? 

11. Can a man ever get rid of his con- 
science after death ? 

12. Will our conscience give us pleasure or 
pam in eternity ? 

13. How must we live, if we wish our con- 
science to give us pleasure after we die ? 



CHAPTER III. 

IS A MAN SURE THAT HE DOES RIGHT W4EN 
HIS COJVSCIENCE DOES NOT REPROVE HIM? 

We frequently observe that some men are 
not reproved by their consciences for doing 
things, for which others feel very guihy. 
Thus, some persons swear, and say it is no 
harm, while others would feel very guilty if 
they did so. Now, how is this to be accounted 
for; and how does this affect their real guilt in 
the sight of God ? 

Tl]is is to be accounted for, on the princi- 
ples we have before stated. We have said 
that conscience is injured by disobeying its 
dictates. If a boy swear, and his conscience 
reprove him, and he do not obey it, it will 
reprove him less next time, and less still the 
next time, until it at last ceases to reprove him 
altogether. But this does not make the thing 
any less wrong than it was at first. Suppose 
a man looked at the sim and it injured his 
eyes, he looks again, and it injures them more, 
and at last he becomes entirely blind, so that 
he cannot see it at all. This would not at all 
prove that the sun did not shine. 



82 OP HABll^. 

And hence we see, that since we are allsin^ 
ners, we may do many things, which we do 
not perceive to be wrong, that are really very 
wrong in the sight of God. A wicked ch.ld 
may not feel it to be wrong to disobey its pa- 
rents, but this does not render it the less wicked. 
We generally do not feel guilty for disobeying 
God, and forgetting all his goodness, but this 
does not render it less sinful. 

And, thus, since this very stupidity of con- 
science is a man's own fault, he is not the less 
to blame on account of it. He will be as just- 
ly punished for the last sin, for which his con- 
science did not reprove him, as for the first, for 
which it reproved him ever so severely. 

And here it may be proper to say a few 
words respecting habit. 

When a man does a thing very often, he 
does it very easily, and does it without think- 
ing, and, at last, it seems as though ha could 
not hep doing it. You see how soon people 
acquire the habit of playing on musical in- 
struments, of using certain words, &:c. 

Th's is the case with moral action. A man 
by doing good actions, acquires the habit of 
doing them, so that he does them of course ; 
and a man in the same manner acquires the 
habit of doing bad actions, so tliat he does 
them without reflection* 



OF HABIT, 33 

Now the question is this. Does an action 
become less wrong, because we have acquired 
the habit of doing it ? 

1 think not. Because if God have forbidden 
it, our having acquired the habit of doing it, 
does not aher his command. God has said, 
thou shaltnot steal, and he will not alter his 
command. If it be displeasing to him for us 
to steal, how much more must he be displeas- 
ed with us for acquiring the habit of stealing. If 
a person struck you^ and his conscience re- 
proved him, you would say, that he ought to 
be sorry for it, and never do it again. You 
would certainly think it no excuse for him, to 
stiike you every time he saw you, until his 
conscience did not reprove him at all. You 
would say it was wrong to strike me once, how 
much more, to acquire the habit of abusing me 
€very time you saw me. 

If this be so, how wicked must it be for 
people to form those bad habits, which many 
fall into; and to do wicked actions, without 
any thought or reflection. 



Questions. 

1. If you compare your actions with the 
law of God, would you not find that you do 
many things wliichhe has forbidden, but whicli 



34 Q,UESTIONS* 

you do not feel to be wrong ? Give some ex- 
amples. 

2. Will God call you to account for these 
actions or not ? 

3. Will such actions be any more excusable 
than any others ? 

4. Suppose a boy should lie, so that he did 
not care whether he told the truth or not, 
would this be any excuse for him ? Why? 

5. Suppose a boy swore once, and his con- 
science reproved him, and another swore so 
much that lie did not know when he did it^ 
which would be the most guilty ? Why ? 

6. Are persons generally better or worse 
than they suppose themselves to be? Why ? 

7. What does this section teach us respect- 
ing the importance of forming habits ? 



CHAPTER IV. 

OF HAPPINESS. 

Our Creator has formed us with various 
desires for the different objects around us. 
The gratification of these desires is called 
happiness, or pleasure. Thus, we are fond of 
particular kinds of food and drink, of music, 
of colors and scenery; these are called plea- 
sures of sense. We are pleased with reading, 
and knowledge, with poetry and eloquence ; 
these are called pleasures of intelle^'t. We 
are made happy by the society of our friends 
and relations ; these are called social pleasures. 
And lasily, we derive happiness from doing 
ridit and beino; virtuous ; this is called moral 
pleasure. 

Now, inasmuch as our Creator has made us 
capable of being made h ippy from all these 
sources, and has placed all these objects 
around us, it is evident that he meant us to en- 
joy them all, that is, to be made happy by 
tl.eai. Thus, he meant us to derive one soil of 
happiness from things that we see and hear, 
and taste ; another, from things that we lead or 
think about ; another from our friends and rela- 



B6 01* HAPPINESSV 

tions ; and another from doing right, and in all 
things obeying him. 

But, it is always to be remarked, that while 
all these are sources of happiness, and are de- 
signed to be such by our Creator, they are 
manifestly designed to be such only within 
certain limits. Thus, though the love of food 
is designed to be a source of happiness, it is 
found, that, if food be partaken of, beyond 
a certain quantity, it produces disgust, sick- 
ness or death. And not only so^ but if taken 
in improper quantities, it also destroys our ca- 
pacity for intellectual and moral pleasure. If 
intellectual pleasures be pursued beyond a cer- 
tain limit, the power of intellectual gratification 
is weakened, and if pursued to the utmost^ th^^ 
result is derangement. And even moral 
pleasures J as for instance, devotion, may in our 
present state be ptirsued so far as to injure the 
health, and produce despondency and distrust^ 
instead of cheerful, active, and useful piety. 

Hence, while it is true that the gratification 
of our desire, is human happ'ness, and that the 
Creator appointed them to be gratified, it is also 
true^ that human happiness consists in the grat- 
ification of these desires within such limits as 
he has prescribed. So soon as we transgress 
these limits, the result is not happiness, but 
misery. And hence the greatest happiness of 



OF HAPPINESS. 37 

which we are susceptible, is to be found, in 
subjecting ourselves to the moral, social, in- 
tellectual and physical laws, which he has 
ordained ; that is, in all things obeying the 
holy, wise, just and merciful will of Him who 
made us. As soon as we begin to pursue any 
gratification, in a manner, or to an extent, at 
variance with the laws of our Creator, we al- 
ways make ourselves miserable. The most 
unhappy class of persons on earth, are those 
who live for nothing else but amusement, or 
without any regard to the Creator's laws. 
Hence, if persons wish to be happy, they ought 
to observe several rules. 

1. They ought to be temperate, that is, use 
no food or drink that does not do them good ; 
and to partake of proper food and drink, only 
in such quantity as will be of use to them. 
When people eat so that it gives them pain or 
makes them sleepy, they may know that they 
have been intemperate. 

2. They ought to be industrious. Without 
labor we soon become weak and sickly ; and, 
also, without labor, we can never enjoy much 
pleasure from reading or knowledge. Indo- 
lence weakens the mind as much as it does the 
body. 

3. They ought to be studious. I do not 
mean that every one should employ all his 

4 



38 OF HAPPINESS. 

time in study. This would be impossibie^ 
All I mean is, that every one should regularly 
give some time, as much as his occupations 
will allow, to reading and the cultivation of 
his mind. This will soon become a great 
source of pleasure, and a great means of use- 
fulness. It was by employing his leisure hours 
in this manner, that Franklin laid the founda- 
tion of his greatness, and raised himself from 
a poor printer's boy, to the rank of one of the 
wisest men in the world. 

4. They should be good. That is, they 
should in every thing strive to serve and obey 
God. This will give us the pleasure of grat- 
itude, in addition to that derived from the recep- 
tion of our daily mercies ; it will give us comfort 
in trouble, all the pleasure of delightful inter- 
course with our best Friend, our Father in hea- 
ven, and the hope of being forever happy 
when we die. Every one must allow, that 
really religious people, whether young or old^ 
are much happier than any other persons. 

5. We should be benevolent ; that is we should 
seek to make others happy. This is one way 
of serving God. There is more pleasure in 
seeing others happy than in seeking to be hap- 
py ourselves. There is more pleasure in ac- 
quiring knowledge to be useful, than in merely 
seeking knowledge for our own happiness. If 



(QUESTIONS. 39 

young and old persons would spend half the 
money in making others happy, which they 
spend in dress and useless luxury, how much 
more real pleasure it would give them* 



Questions. 

1. Give examples of the various kinds of 
human happiness. 

2. How do you know that God meant you 
to eat apples, or to look at a rainbow, or to act 
virtuously ? 

3. How do you know that God did not in- 
tend you to eat the leaves of the apple tree, 
instead of the fruit? 

4. How do you know that God did not mean 
you to eat more than two or three apples, at one 
time ? 

5. How do you know that he meant you to 
study, but not to study all night ? 

6. How may we know, by the effects upon 
ourselves, that we have transgressed any law 
of our Creator? 

7. How ought a person to spend a day if he 
wished to spend it happily ? Go through the 
day and illustrate it. 

8. When you act thus do you not find 
yourself most happy ? 

9. Which are the most desirable, the pleas- 
ores of sense or of intellect ? 



40 QUESTIONS. 

10. Which are most desirable, the pleasures 
of sense, or social pleasures ? 

11. Which are most desirable, the pleas- 
ures of sense, or moral pleasures ? Illustrate all 
these. 

12. What sort of pleasures do brutes enjoy? 

13. Suppose a man derives all his pleasures 
from his appetites, that is from eating and 
driiikiiig, &ic.- what is he like ? 



CHAPTER V. 

'THE IMPERFECTION OF CONSCIENCE* 

It has already been stated, that conscience^ 
like all our other powers, is strengthened by 
use, and injured by abuse. We abuse our 
conscience, whenever w^e do wrong. And, as 
it is universally allowed, that all men do wrong, 
it is evident that the consciences of all men 
must be imperfect. 

But although w^e have thus rendered our 
consciences imperfect, the law of God remains 
the same ; that is, he commands the same 
things and inflicts the same punishments. He 
does not alter his laws, because men will not 
obey them. If a parent told a child not to 
do something, and the child stopped his ears 
so that he did not hear, he ought to be pun- 
ished for doing wrong, just as much as if he 
had heard, because it was his own fault that 
he did not hear. 

And if men have become so sinful that they 

do not hear the voice of God, when he speaks 

to them by conscience, and if they are going 

on thus thoughtlessly, sinning against him and 

4^ 



42 ■ IMPERFECTrON 

exposing themselves to his condemnation, oar 
condition would be very miserable, if God did 
not give us some other light ; age after age, 
men would become more and more sinful, and 
w^ould all be without any hope of salvation. 
Now, that men are actually going on in this 
manner is, I think, evident from facts. I do 
not say that there is no moral virtue in man. 
This would not be true. I say that the law 
of God requires perfect obedience, in order to 
claim any reward at his hands. And, I say, 
that not only do men fail of that obedience, 
but that they have disobeyed him so much, 
that they do not even perceive, by the light of 
conscience, the very duties that he requires of 
them. 

1. There are many duties to his fellow crea- 
^tures and to God, which, man, by his unassisted 

conscience, does not discover. This must be 
known to every young person, who has read 
the accounts given by travellers of heathen 
nations ; especially those given by Christian 
missionaries. 

2. It is also evident, that where these du- 
ties are known, men, very frequently, if left 
to the light of nature, err in respect to the 
mode in which they are to be performed. Thus 
the heathen, who acknowledge that they ought 
to worship God, perform, as acts of worship. 



OF CONSCIENCE. 43 

the most disgraceful and abominable rites. 
While they confess that they ought to love 
their parents and children, they, not unfre- 
quently, put them to death, when they are 
aged or sick. 

3. Men universally admit, that they do not 
live according to the light which they enjoy ; 
that is, that they are not as good as they know 
how to be. This is confessed, both by the hea- 
then, and also by those who live under the full 
influence of cliristianity. Every one knows it 
to be the fad, that men are disposed to violate 
their obligations to God for the sake of the 
most transient and trifling gratification. 

Now if this be the fact, if we be thus dis- 
posed to violate the law of God, and, if, to 
every violation, he has affixed a most solemn 
punishment, not only in this world, but also in 
the other, if he had given us no otlier mode 
of learning our duty, our condition w^ould be 
exceedingly hopeless. 

Now as we know^ God to be infinitely mer- 
ciful, as well as infinitely just, it is surely not 
improbable that he would give us some addi- 
tional knowledge upon this subject. He has 
given abundant proofs that he loves to have 
his creatures do right ; and also that he loves 
to see them happy. Both of these facts would 
lead us to expect some more information res- 



44 Q^UESTIONS. 

pecting our duty^ than is made to us by oui* 
unassisted conscience. 

This additional information is communicated 
to us, by natural and revealed religion. 



Questions. 

1. Explain what would be the condition of 
men, If they were left to no other direction than 
the light of conscience. 

2. It is said, that men, without any other 
light than conscience, would be ignorant of 
many duties to God and man. Can you give 
any example of this ? 

3. It is said, that men, when they know that 
some duty is to be discharged, do not know 
how to discharge it acceptably to God. Give 
examples of this ? 

4. Do you find men generally acting as well 
as they know how to act? How do you do 
yourself ? 

5. If God should call you to account for all 
the actions of your life, which you have per- 
formed contrary to his will without thinking 
any thing about it, what would be your 
condition? 

6. If we are so ignorant and sinful, and God 
is very kind, and very desirous that we should 
do right, what should we think it probable that 
he would do for us ? 



CHAPTER VI. 

OF THE NATURE AND DEFECTS OF NATURAL, 
RELIGION. 

In order to illustrate the nature of natural 
religion, I will commence with the following 
supposition. Suppose that any young person 
had the misfortune to be deaf and dumb, as some 
children are. Such a child we know could 
not hear a word that his parents said to him. 
Suppose that his parents were very wise, just, 
and kind persons, and that the child knew this 
perfectly well. Now suppose this child to 
observe that whenever he did some sort of ac- 
tions, as, for instance, was angry, mischievous, 
or dishonest, his parents were displeased, and 
if he repeated the actions, punished him ; while, 
if he were kind, obliging and honest, his parents 
were always pleased and rewarded him. And 
suppose that he also found, that his parents, by 
some means, always so contrived, that a good 
action should be followed by a great deal of 
happiness to the whole family ; and a bad ac- 
tion by unhappiness to the whole family. Now 
suppose all this were invariably to happen^ 



46 NATURAL RELIGION. 

such a child would as certainly know what his 
parents wished, that is, what were the laws 
of the family, as though he could hear, and 
they had told him by language. 

Now, this is precisely the case, with what is 
called natural religion ; by which we mean 
those notions of their duty to God, and to each 
other, which men might acquire without the 
Bible. 

God acts towards all men, as I have sup- 
posed such a parent to act towards such a 
child. He has connected happiness with some 
actions, and misery with some others, if we 
consider the actions only in respect to our- 
selves. Thus, he has made us feel the pain of 
conscience when we do some things, and the 
pleasure of conscience when we do other 
things. Besides, he has made some actions give 
us pain and distress, and others give us pleasure, 
in our bodies as well as our minds. Every one 
knows that if he eats too much, it makes him 
sick. Every one knows how miserable drunk- 
enness makes a man. Every one knows how 
a liar is despised by every person. And still 
more, God has so arranged things in this world, 
that bad actions make every one else unhap- 
py, and, that, if bad actions were universally 
practised, men could not live together. Con- 
gider for a moment, how unhappy children 



NATURAL RELIGION. 47 

liiake their parents, by disobedience, lying, 
using bad words, and by quarrelling with each 
other. And ask yourselves, how could men 
live together, if they were all liars, or all 
drunkards, or all thieves. 

Now, since God has connected such bad 
consequences with all these actions, and with 
a multitude of others, it is as manifest that he 
wishes us to avoid them, as though he had 
spoken from heaven, and told us so. And, 
since he has connected so many good conse- 
quences with the contrary actions, it is equally 
evident, that he means us to do the contrary 
actions. Hence, men, by observing these con- 
sequences, can learn what God wishes them 
to do, and what he wishes them to avoid. 
And, these rules, thus ascertained, form what 
are called the laws of natural religion. 

It is evident, that much knowledge of our 
duty may be learned in this way. And, 
from what we have already said, it is evident, 
that for all this increased knowledge, man is, 
in an increased degree, accountable. Since 
his guilt, in violating any command of God, is 
always in proportion to the clearness with 
which that command has been made know^n 
to him. And still further, not only does nat- 
ural religion present the moral law with addi- 
tional clearness, by showing us the conse- 



48 NATURAL HELIOION* 

quences of our actions, it offers additional mo-* 
lives to the doing of our duty. And, as our 
tendency to do wrong or right is shown, by 
the obstacles which we overcome in the course 
which we pursue^ if we do wrong, in opposi- 
tion to those additional motives, which God 
has set before us, we are justly held addition- 
ally guilty by our Creator. 

While, however, there is so much light 
communicated by natural religion, it is, in our 
present state, defective, and insufficient to lead 
man to virtue and happiness. 

This may be clearly shown from facts. 

1 . Mankind, wherever they have lived with- 
out the Bible, have always been exceedingly 
vicious. 

2. Nor has this been owing to want of 
knowledge, for, the farther they have advanc- 
ed in knowledge, the more wicked have they 
become. 

3. None of the systems of religion which 
men have formed from natural religion, have 
had any perceptible effect in rendering them 
better. 

But, specially, natural religion can give us 
no information respecting the truths most es- 
sential to the formation of a religious charac- 
ter, and the possession of a firm hope of a 
blessed immortality. 



NATURAL RELIGlOlsr. 4lf 

For instance, natural religion gives us no 
mforination respecting the existence and du- 
ration of the future state, it neither tells us 
whether we live after death, nor how long we 
live. 

It gives no information, respecting the state 
upon wliich we enter after death. It teaches 
us much respecting our sinfulness, but nothing 
respecting the way in which sin may be par- 
doned. And, specially, it tells us nothing re- 
specting the atonement by Jesus Christ, and 
the way of salvation, and moral perfection, by 
virtue of his m.erits. Hence, as all these are 
facts, of the utmost possible importance for us 
to know, and, as none of them are revealed, 
nor can be revealed by natural religion, it 
is evident, that, had we no other guide, we 
must be left in utter ignorance, on the most 
important subjects, which we need, as immor- 
tal and moral beings, to know. It is to dissi- 
pate this darkness, and to give us all the 
knowledge on moral subjects, that our pres- 
ent state demands, that God has given to us 
the Holy Scriptures. 

Questions. 
1. How may we know, without the Bible^ 
what God wishes us to do, and what to avoid? 
2» How would you know, in this manner;. 

.S ■ 



50 QUESTIONS. 

that God did not mean men to get drunk, or 
to steal, or to fight ? 

3. How would you know, in this manner, 
that God meant children to be kind to each 
other, and to obey their parents ? 

4. Is this mode of teaching found to be 
sufficient to make men good ? Do you re- 
member any thing on this subject from your 
reading? 

5. What was the moral character of the 
ancient Greeks and Romans ? 

6. What is the moral character of the hea- 
then generally ? 

7. How could we know any thing about 
another world, except God had told us in the 
Bible? 

8. Can we learn any thing except the com- 
mands of God, from natural religion ? Illus- 
trate this ? 

9. Does natural religion give us any know- 
ledge respecting pardon, after we have broken 
the laws of God ? 

10. If men have not the Bible, by what 
will God judge them ? 



CHAPTER VII. 

OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 

The Holy Scriptures are contained in the 
volumes of the Old and New Testaments. 
The main design of these is, to reveal to man 
the will, or law of God, and the way of sal- 
vation from sin, by the atonement of Jesus 
Christ. 

The Old Testament contains, 

1. An acco'int of the creation of the world, 
of the creation and fall of man, with a brief 
history of our race, until the general deluge. 

2. An account of the separation of the 
family of Abraham, the commencement of a 
nation, and, a history of this nation, from its 
beginning, until the return from the captivity 
in Babylon, a period of about fifteen hundred 
years. 

3. The system of laws, moral, civil and 
ceremonial, which God enacted for the gov- 
ernment of this people, and, which he ordain- 
ed, for the sake of prefiguring the coming dis- 
pensation. 



52 THE HOLY SCRIPTURES, 

4. Various events in their history, dis- 
courses of their inspired teachers, prayers 
and hymns of pious men, predictions of fu- 
ture events, and, specially, full and minute 
prophecies of the coming Messiah, and of the 
nature, the glory, and the benefits of his reign* 
With these last, the Old Testament is tinged 
throughout; and with these anticipations, large 
portions of it are entirely occupied. The 
teaching of the Old Testament shows, that 
no system of law, even under the most favor- 
able circumstances, is adequate to the moral 
reformation of man. 

The design of the New Testament is, to 
make known the law of God with greater 
clearness than it was formerly revealed ; and, 
specially, to teach men the way of salvation, 
by the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

In pursuance of this design it contains, 

1. A narrative of the life and death, resur- 
rection and ascension, of Jesus of Nazareth ; 
a Being, in whom the divine and human na- 
ture, were mysteriously united ; who appeared 
on earth to teach us whatever was necessary 
to be known of our duties to God; and, by his 
obedience and sufferings, death, resurrection, 
ascension and mediation, to provide for us a 
way of pardon and salvation. 

2. A brief narrative of the progress of the 



THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 53 

Christian religioDj for several years, after the 
ascension of Jesus of Nazareth. 

3» The epistolary instructionSj which his 
Apostles, by divine inspiration, gave to the 
men of their own time. 

This whole volume, thus taken together^ 
presents us with all the knowledge we could 
desire, respecting our duties to God, our fu- 
ture destiny, and the way of pardon and ac- 
ceptance with our Father in heaven. And, 
hence, we believe the Old and New Testa- 
ments to contain all that God has ever reveal- 
ed, or will reveal to us, respecting his will. 
What is contained here, and here only, is 
therefore, binding upon the conscience. Ev- 
ery thing else is the word of man. 

We see then, the means which God has 
given, for the purpose of enabhng us to know 
our duty to Him and to each other. 

1. He has given us conscience, by which 
we become sensible of our duty, and by 
which we are admonished to act in accor- 
dance with it. 

2. He has so constructed all the system 
of things around us, that we derive happiness 
from doing his ^vill, and suffer pain, whenever 
we violate it. HencC;. if we will only ob- 
serve the effects of an action upon ourselves, 

5^ 



54 THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 

and upon others, we may thus learn how he 
wishes us to act. 

3. When, by our own wickedness, our con- 
science became imperfect, and when we ceas- 
ed to learn our duty by the light of nature, 
he gave to man a written law, in which he 
clearly communicated by language, his will 
concerning us. 

4. When this was found entirely insufH- 
cient, to restrain men from vice, or restore 
them to virtue, in the fulness of time, God 
sent forth his Son, to teach us our duty, to 
make atonement for our sins, and to offer 
pardon and eternal life to every one who will 
repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. 

If such be the fact, it is manifest, that our 
accountability increases, with every additional 
portion of moral light, which God has con- 
descended to afford us. And, if he is inex- 
cusable, who disobeys the will of God under 
any circumstances, how solemn must be the 
condemnation of those, who. under the clear 
light of the gospel, and in despite of the 
merciful provisions of the new dispensation, 
pursue a course of thoughtless disobedience 
to God, ani live for this world, instead of liv- 
ing for another. 

Now, young persons, frequently suppose, 



I'HE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 55 

tfiat all this, is intended for others, and not for 
them. But it is not so. Does not the con- 
science of every young person admonish him ? 
Cannot every young person see the misery^ 
which is produced by wickedness, in himself^ 
and in others. Cannot every one, in this coun- 
try, read the Bible; and, has he not read there^ 
of God's anger against sin, and, also, of the 
blessed Saviour, who died to redeem us. If 
this is so, every young person is as truly ac- 
eount'able to God for the knowledge which he 
has obtained, as if he were ever so old. Ev- 
ery one of us, whether young or old, ought to 
repent of his sins, obey God, and believe on 
the Saviour. And, if the young do not under- 
stand these things, they should apply to their 
teachers, their parents, or their minister for 
instruction. 



Questions. 

1. In what books of the Bible do we find 
the early history of the race of man ? 

2. In what books do we find the history of 
the Jews, from the departure out of Egypt, un- 
til the captivity ? 

3. In what books do we find the Mosaic 
law. 

4. What is the difference between morale 
civil and ceremonial law. 



56 Q,UESTlONSe 

5. What book is filled with the prayers 
and praises of pious men ? 

6. What book contains the most distinct 
and minute prophecies of the mission^ char- 
acter and life of Christ ? 

7. What books in the New Testament, 
contain the life of Christ. 

8. What book contains the history of the 
progress of Christianity, after his ascension t 

9. Explain the modes which God has giv- 
en by which we may know our duty. 

10. Why are those, in this country, who 
disobey God, more wicked, than those who 
disobey him among the heathen ? 

11. Is a young person, who disobeys God, 
any more excusable than an old person ? 



PkRT 11. 



0F THE DUTIES OF MAN TO GOD AND TO* 
HIS FELLOW MAN. 

In the preceding pages, we have endeavored' 
to illustrate the nature of man's moral consti-^ 
tution, and to show the sources from which his 
moral hght is derived. We shall now attempt 
a brief exposition of human duty, so far as it 
can be learned, either from natural religion, or 
from Divine revelation. 

The Scriptures teach us, that the whole of 
human duty may be summed up in the single 
word Love. '^Thou shalt love the Lord thy 
God with all thy heart ; " and, " Thou shalt 
love thy neighbour as thyself." 

Hence the duties of man are comprehended 
under two general divisions : 

1. Love to God, or piety. 

2. Love to man, or morality. 

Of tliese we shall, now proceed to treat.. 



OF LOVE TO GOD, OR PIETY. 



CHAPTER L 

OF OUR OBLIGATION TO LOVE GOD. 

Every one knows, as soon as he thinks upon 
the subject, that he ought to love and obey 
God. But men, generally, have very indis- 
tinct notions respecting the meaning of these 
terms. While they confess that they ought to 
love and obey their Creator, they act in direct 
opposition to his will, and do not seem to think 
that they are violating any duty. It may be 
worth while, therefore, to attempt to illustrate, 
so far as we can, the nature of our obligations 
to God. 

1. I suppose that every well instructed 
young person, feels, that he ought to love and 
obey his parents. And he feels this, because 
they are his parents, that is, although other 
persons may be equally wise and good, he 
feels under greater obligations to his parents, 
than to any one else. Who has not been 
shocked to observe the manner, in which wick- 
ed and badly educated young persons speak of 



LOVE TO Gon. 59 

their best earthly friends. Have you not ob- 
served that such young persons are disagreea- 
ble associates, and, commonly, ill bred, and 
vicious. 

2. But suppose that our parents were also 
the wisest, and most virtuous, and most ben- 
evolent persons that we had ever known. 
Our obligations to them would be certainly in- 
creased. In addition to our love of them be- 
cause they were our parents, we should love 
them for their virtues. What would we think 
of a child, who was blessed Vvath such parents, 
and by his conduct showed that he cared noth- 
ing for them, w^as determined never to take 
their advice, and never to associate with them 
any more than he could help, but was always 
seeking his companions among the most vi- 
cious, idle and disgusting persons in the 
neighborhood ; and would take the advice of 
anybody else, rather than the tenderest and 
kindest admonitions of his father or his mother. 

3. But suppose, once more, that such a 
child was very sickly, or w^as blind and deaf, 
and, that all these excellent virtues of his pa- 
rents, had uniformly been employed for his 
good. Suppose, that for several years, when 
he was so sick that he was very near death, 
his mother had watched by his bed-side, and 
relieved his pain, and saved him from the 



60 L.OVE TO Gan> 

grave. Suppose his father had carried Him 
about in his arms, whenever he was able to go 
abroad, and when he was imablej had always 
provided him with companions, and every 
thing to make him happy at home. And, 
suppose, moreover, that such a parent, being 
rich, had built a splendid and beautiful house, 
precisely adapted to render this helpless child 
happy. What should we think of such a 
child, if, even in his blindness, he wanted to 
escape from his parents, and go where they had 
forbidden him, and would be thus continually in- 
juring himself and others, in spite of all their 
care. What should we think of him, if he 
never manifested any gratitude for all this 
kindness, and, habitually, not only grieved 
these parents, but showed, by all his conduct, 
that he loved the vilest persons better than 
them. Every one must acknowledge, that 
such a child, was not only very foolish, but 
very wicked. 

And, on the contrary ,"suppose a child under 
these circumstances, to cherish proper feehngs 
toward his parents ; every one must see how 
he would conduct towards them. Inasmuch 
as they were his parents, he w^ould honor, 
respect, and obey them. As they were the 
most wise and virtuous persons he knew, he 
would take their advice and counsel before 



LOVE TO GOD. 61 

that of any one else, and would prefer their 
society to any other. As they had taken 
every possible nieans to promote his happi- 
ness, he would be grateful to them, would do 
every thing to please them, and would a great 
deal rather please them, than please himself 
or any of his acquaintances. Now, I think 
that every one, whether young or old, must 
see that this is the way in which such a child 
ought to conduct towards such parents. 

Now apply these remarks to our relations 
to God, and every one must see, that we are 
under infinitely higher obligations to love and 
obey him, than we possibly can be, to any or 
all the other beings in existence. 

1. He is our Creator, and Preserver. By 
him, we, with all the faculties which we pos- 
sess, were first formed out of nothing, and by 
Him we are every moment supported. With- 
out his power, we could neither see, nor hear, 
nor taste nor feel ; we could neither think nor 
remember, be pleased nor displeased, love nor 
be loved. All that we have is his, and all that 
we are, is produced from nothino;ness by his 
simple will. Now, surely, the Being, whose 
we are, in so special a manner, is deserving of 
our reverence. He who sustains us every 
moment, ought, every moment, to be present 
to our thoughts. 

6 



63 LOVE TO GOD. 

Bat more than this, consider the attributes 
of God, and ask, if we ought so constantly to 
think of him, how ought we to think of hun. 
He is infinitely wise, faithful, just, holy and mer- 
ciful. If we are bound, by our moral nature to 
love and reverence these attributes, every- 
where on earth ; if we are specially bound to 
reverence them in our parents, how much 
more are we bound to love and reverence 
them in our Father who is in heaven, and who 
possesses them in a degree as far beyond 
any thing that exists on earth, as the Crea- 
tor is superior to any one of his creatures. 

And still further: all these attributes of the 
Creator have, from the beginning, been exerted 
for our happiness. We are as ignorant of the 
future as a blind man can be of the objects 
around him ; and yet, God has provided every 
thing for us. We are as liable every moment 
to death, as a person in the most dangerous ill- 
ness ; and yet, God has kept us alive to the 
present moment. We have no power to 
create any thing around us; and yet, God has 
created this goodly world, and provided it for 
our special happiness. We are shortly to die ; 
and he has provided for those that love him, 
a world of happiness, vastly more glorious and 
excellent than any thing that we can conceive 



LOVE TO GOD. 63 

of. When we were all sinners, and exposed 
to his just displeasure, he so loved the world, 
that he sent his well beloved Son, that who- 
soever believeth on Him should not perish, but 
have everlasting life. Now, surely all this 
deserves our love and gratitude. And, if our 
love and gratitude should be in proportion to 
the character of the benefactor, and to that of 
the benefits conferred, then, surely, we should 
love our Father in heaven, infinitely better 
than any thing else ; that is, we should love 
him with all our heart ; that is, supremely. 

And suppose now, that we really cherish- 
ed the feelings of reverence and love and 
gratitude to God, which he deserves, how 
would it be proper that we should discover 
them ? Manifestly, since every thing around 
us is the work of God, and is designed to 
keep him constantly in our recollection, every 
thing would put us in mind of him. As we 
thus thought of him, his attributes would per- 
petually fill us with wonder, admiration and 
love. As all this is done for us, every favor 
from his hand, would excite us to gratitude and 
adoration. Nor is this all. As all that is 
adorable in the Deity, is infinitely superior to 
any exhibition of goodness that we see on 
earth, and, as he is infinitely more nearly re- 
lated to us, than any created beings are, not only 



64 LOVE TO GOD. 

would these feelings be constant, but also in- 
finitely more intense, than those which we 
cherish to any and to all beings beside. 

And again, suppose all this to be the case, it 
is manifest, that such a state of feeling would 
have a powerful effect upon our action. Lov- 
ing thus, a just and merciful and holy being, we 
should love to act justly and mercifully and 
holily. And loving him thus intensely and 
gratefully, we should desire, above all things, 
that he should love us ; for this is the very na- 
ture of every affection. Hence, we should 
in every thing, strive to act in such a manner, 
as we knew would please him. Hence, we 
should strive, most of all, to know and do his 
will. And if we had these sentiments to- 
wards him, we should never prefer any thing 
to him. To all the allurements of pleasure, or 
interest or passion, it would always be more 
than a sufficient answer, how can I do this 
great wickedness, and sin against God. 

And hence, as our supreme desire would be 
to please God, we shoul I employ our intellect 
in nothing so readily, cheerfully, and sponta- 
neously, as in learning his will, both as it is 
made known to us in his works, and in the Bible. 
We should delight to observe liis dealings with 
men and nations, that we might learn the rules 
by which he governs men. And we should 



LOVE TO GOD. 65 

Specially study, with intense interest, his writ-^ 
ten word, that we might know his will concern- 
ing us here, arid what he has prepared for us 
hereafter. And having once known this will^ 
the first and strongest impulse of our hearts 
would bej to obey it ; no matter what, or how 
many, or how strong impulses, might exist to 
the contrary. 

And, again, if such were the case, as every 
thing which God has made, teaches his attri- 
butes, and so of course, is intended to lead our 
thoughts to him, the strongest incitement to. 
knowledge would be, that thus we might know 
more of the works and character of him, who 
made us, and made all things. And yet more, 
as this would be our strongest incitement to 
improve in knowledge, this would be the 
natural end, to which all our knowledge would 
tend. The colors of the rainbow, the odor of 
the rose, the sublimity of the storm, the thun- 
der of the cataract, would as directly and in- 
stantly awaken the emotion of religion, as they 
do the emotion of beauty or of sublimity. 
Thus should we live in perpetual and delight- 
ful consciousness of the fact, that, in God 
w^e hve and move and have our being. 

And, again, as God has condescended to 
reveal himself more intimately in his written 
word ; as there, he has communicated to us 
6^ 



66 LOVE TO GOD. 

more glorious knowledge of his character, and 
has been pleased to converse with us in our 
own language, and has, moreover, given us a 
divine example of the manner in which he 
would have us live, and has informed us, that 
he is pleased to have us converse with him by 
prayer, and meditation, and commune with 
him by the utterance of all the feelings of a 
devout spirit ; it is manifest, that, with a 
proper and filial temper, these would be among 
the choicest of our privileges, and they would 
be as natural to us as the intercourse of inti- 
mate friends with each other, or as that of chil- 
dren with beloved and endeared parents. 

That such are the proper feelings, which a 
creature, such as man, should cherish towards 
such a Creator as God, is, I think, too evident 
to need argument. I will not, in this place, 
go into a consideration of the question, how 
far we see these feelings exemplified in the 
character and actions of men. I presume it 
will be at once admitted, that the world pre- 
sents but little evidence of the universality of 
such moral dispositions. All ages and nations 
have united in the conviction, that man is a 
sinner, and, that his moral feehngs towards 
God, are very different from those, which he 
is under the highest obligations to render to 
such a Creator. 



BOVE TO GOD* 67 

Suppose this to be the case^ it is proper to 
inquire, what are the dispositions, suitable for 
us to exercise towards God, after we have be- 
come sinners against him. 

1. It is manifest, that, ahhough we have 
changed, God has not changed. His attributes 
are the same, and are as lovely, and his con- 
duct towards us has been as just and as good, 
as they were before. We are then under 
precisely the same obligations, as before, to 
love and obey him, and to strive after the 
same moral perfection, as though we had never 
transgressed. 

2. If God has been thus unchangeably just 
and holy and good, our sin against him must 
have been inexcusably wrong. This, then, it 
becomes us to acknowledge, and to justify 
him, and condemn ourselves. We ought, in 
sincere sorrow for all our past offences, to 
break off from every thing that has displeased 
him, and devote ourselves, as was our duty at 
the beginning, to a life of sincere and filial and 
universal obedience. This is what the Bible 
means by repentance. 

3. And still more, if there be a w^ay of par- 
don provided by our Father in heaven, a way 
in which alone he will receive us to favor, after 
we have sinned against him, it becomes us to 
seekj most earnestly and honestly^ to know 



68 LOVE TO GOIP. 

what that way is, and submit to the wise and 
merciful conditions, which he has prescribed 
for our salvation. If we neglect this, we are 
guilty, not only of our past sins against God^ 
but also of continuing in our state of sin, not- 
withstanding our Creator has provided a means 
of deliverance from it, and a way of pardon^ 
full, free and upon the most reasonable and 
merciful conditions, that we can possibly con- 
ceive of. Of the wickedness of such a course 
of conduct, the Bible always speaks in the 
most decided terms. "^ If I had not come and 
spoken to them, they had not had sin, but now 
they have no cloak for their sin." " This is 
the condemnation, that light has come into the 
world, and men have loved darkness rather 
than light because their deeds were evil." 

From what has been said, it will be evident 
that our relations to God impose upon us the 
following obligations : 

1. To love him supremely, that is, better 
than all things else, and to love nothing in such 
a manner, or in such a degree as shall interfere 
with our love to him. 

2. To obey him in all things implicitly, 
though in opposition to our own desires, pas- 
sions and wills ; and though all the other be- 
ings in the universe were opposed to us. 

3. To cherish^ habitually, a contrite and pen- 



LOVE TO GOB. 69 

itent disposition, on account of our innumerable 
past and present offences. 

4. To accept of the mercy which he has 
provided, on the terms which he has prescribed. 
Or, in general, to Hve a pious, penitent and 
reli^ijious hfe. On the contrary, our obligations 
to God forbid: 

1. Idolatry, or loving any thing else in com- 
petition with him, or in such a manner as to 
interfere witli our love to him. 

2. Yielding to any desire of our ow^n, or of 
any other being, when at variance w^ith his 
commandments. 

3. Living in impenitence in general, or neg- 
lecting to repent of any sin against him. 

4. Living in neglect of his appointed way 
of salvation.. 

Or, in general^ our obligations to him forbid 
a life of thoughtlessness, sensuality, profanity, 
irreligion, by what name soever it may be 
called,or under what disguises soever it may be 
concealed. 

And lastly, as every action which we per- 
form, must be, in some manner, either accor- 
ding to the will of God or contrary to it, our 
duties to man become also duties to God. That 
is to say, whatever we are under obligations to 
perform, from our relations to man, we are also 
under obligations to perform from our relations 



70 QUESTIONS. 

to God, because God requires it of us. Hence 
we see, that a difference exists between our 
duties to God simply, and our duties to man, 
which are also duties to God. The first are 
not capable of being enforced by human law. 
The others may be so enforced, and the vio« 
lation of them justly punished. They are 
however punished by man, not because of their 
being displeasing to God, but because they vio- 
late the obligations, under which man is placed 
to his fellow. 



Questions. 

1. Do you ever feel, as much, your obliga- 
tions to love and serve God, as you do, your 
obligations to love and obey your parents ? 

2. How would a wicked and disobedient 
child, act towards kind and good parents ? 

3. How would a good and obedient child act, 
towards good and kind parents ? 

4. Which is most truly our parent, God, or 
our father and mother ? 

5. Which is kindest and wisest and best to 
us, God, or our earthly parents ? 

6. Which are we under the greatest obliga- 
tions to love, God or our parents ? 

7. How do we act towards God; as affec- 
tionate and obedient children, or as ungrateful 
and disobedient children ? 



QUESTIONS. 71 

8. Mention some of the reasons for which 
we ought to love and obey God. 

9. How would a person act, who really loved 
and served God ? 

10. If we really love God, what should be 
our desire in all we do ? 

11. Does our being sinners, excuse us from 
our obHgations to love and obey God ? 

12. If we are sinners, and are under the 
same obligations to love him as before, are w^e 
not also under some other obligation ? What 
is it? 

13. Under what obHgations are we placed, 
by the fact that God has given us his Son to 
die for us ? 

14. Suppose we do not repent of our sins, 
and believe in Christ, shaH we be any better 
off than we should have been, if there had 
been no Saviour appointed ? 

15. Shall we on this account be any worse 
off? Why? 

16. What does the Bible represent to be the 
great difference, in guilt, betw^een the heathen 
and those who have the gospel ? 

17. Mention, in order, the duties which we 
owe to God ? 

18. What is idolatry? 

19. Can a person be an idolater who does 
not worship an image, or picture ? 



72 Q,UESTIONS. 

20. When we want to do any thing very 
much, is this a sufficient reason for doing it ? 
Why? What ought to control our desires ? 

21. Can we love God, if we thoughtlessly, 
and without regret, sin against him. How 
shou'd we feel when we have sinned against 
him ? 

22. Can we love Godj if we lie, and use 
bad words, and take his name in vain ? 

23. Give an example of some act which is 
merely a duty to God, and another which is 
a duty to man, and is also required by God ? 

24. Has man any right to enforce those du- 
ties, which are simple duties to God ? 



CHAPTER II. 

of prayer. 

Section L 

The nature of Prayer. 

As devout affections towards God, are of 
the utmost importance to the formation of vir- 
tuous character, God has been pleased to ap- 
point special means to assist us to cuhivate 
them. These are, prayer and the observance 
of the sabbath. In the present chapter we 
shall treat of prayer. 

We shall consider, 1. The nature. 2d. 
The obligation, 3. The utility of prayer. 

Prayer is the direct intercourse of our spir- 
its with the spiritual and unseen Creator. 
^' God is a spirit, and those that w^orship him 
must worship him in spirit and in truth." 

Just as a dutiful and affectionate child un- 
bosoms all his cares and sorrows and wants, 
and confesses all his errors, in t[}e pre-ence of 
wise and virtuous and beloved parents ; so. 
God invites every one of us to draw near, aud 
7 



74 THE NATURE 

commune with him by prayer and supplica- 
tion. It is the expression of our adoration^ 
the acknowledgment of our obhgations,, the 
offering up of our thanksgivings^ the confes- 
sion of our sins, the avowal of our resolutions 
of amendment, the supplication for favors, as 
well temporal as spiritual, which we need, be- 
ing always accompanied with a suitable tem- 
per of mind. 

This temper of mind supposes a solemn 
conviction of the character and attributes of 
God, and of the relations which he sustains to 
us,' — a conviction of the relations which we 
sustain, and of the obligations which we are 
under, to him, — an affecting view of our sin- 
fulness, helplessness, and misery, — sincere 
gratitude for all the favors which we have re- 
ceived from him ; a fixed and unqualified reso- 
lution to keep all his commandments, — unre- 
served submission to his will, — unshaken con- 
fidence in his veracity, — importunate desires 
that our prayers for spiritual blessings should 
be granted ; — and a soul at peace with all man- 
kind. It is not asserted that all these disposi- 
tions are always to be in exercise, at the same 
time, but only such of them, as belong to the 
nature of our supplications ; and that we 
should be conscious of nothing at variance 
with any of them. It is prayer offered in 



or PRAYER. 75 

this spirit, which God has promised to an- 
swer. 

Prayer is commonly divided into private, 
domestic and social. 

1. Private prayer. As, in private prayer, 
our object is, to hold personal and direct com- 
munion with God, we are commanded, on 
such occasions, to enter into our closet, and 
shut the door, and pray to our Father in se- 
cret. The expression of our wants should 
be solemn, but unreserved and particular. 
As, moreover, this communion with God is 
intended to be the great means for resisting 
the constant pressure of things seen and tem- 
poral, it should be frequent, and habitual. 
Thus says David, evening and morning and 
at noon, will I call upon thee. 

2. Domestic prayer. As the relation of pa- 
rents and children, brethren and sisters, is the 
most intimate and endearing of any which we 
sustain on earth ; and as, in consequence of 
this intimacy, almost all the joys and soitows 
which we sustain individually, are shared in 
common with those w^ho are thus connected 
with us, it is peculiarly proper, that we should, 
together, spread our wants and necessities and 
thanksgivings before God. The moral effect 
of this institution upon both parents and chil- 



16 Q^UESTIO^^S. 

dren, is also such as to render it obligatory 
npon every thoughtful parent. 

3. Social prayer. As members of the same 
community we are continually receiving social 
blessings from our Creator. It is proper that 
as societies, we should acknowledge them.. 
Religion is^ in part^ a social principle. It 
tends to unite men together by the effort to 
do good to each other. It is therefore culti- 
vated by meeting together as a religious soci- 
ety. So important is this to the improvement 
of the moral cultivation of a community, that, 
no where, has any successful effort been made 
for the improvement of man, without it. Sure- 
ly nothing more need be said of"^ the impor-- 
tance of social worship. 



Questions. 

1. For what leason does God require us ta 
pray ? 

2. Tell what prayer is^ in your ovvn lan- 
guage. 

3. What is there^ in our ordinary inter- 
course with others, which resembles prayer ? 

4. What do you mean by the relation 
which God sustains to uSj and the relation 
which we sustain to hira I 



QUESTIONS. t7 

5. What do you mean by an affecting view 
of our sinfulness ? 

6. What favors do we receive from God ? 
Mention some of them. 

7. What do you mean, by unshaken confi- 
dence in God's veracity ? 

8. What do you mean, by submission to the 
will of God ? 

9. What do you mean, by a soul at peace 
with all mankind ? 

10. Where are we told, that unless we for- 
give men their trespasses, neither will our 
Father in heaven forgive our trespasses ? 

11. Suppose that when we pray, we feel 
angry or revengeful against any one, will God 
answer our prayers ? 

12. Explain, in your own language, how 
we ought to feel when we pray to God. 

13. How ought young persons to behave, 
when their parents pray in the family ? 

14. Ought all parents to pray with their 
children ? 

Section II. 

Of the duty of Prayer. 

This is evident from the relations in which 
^e stand to God. 

7 =^ 



18 tn^ Btiirt 

1. We are utterly powerless^ absolutely tg^ 
norant of the future, and essentially depen-^ 
dant upon God for our very existence, and, o( 
course, for every blessing which accompanies^ 
existence. What can be more proper, than^ 
that we daily supplicate our Father in heaven 
for the blessings which we every moment 
need ; and^ that we humbly and thankfully 
acknowledge the favors, which, we, without 
any claim on our part^ every moment receive. 

2. But, specially, is this the case, when we 
remember that we are sinners, that we have 
forfeited all claim to favor, and deserve the 
displeasure of God ; that we need his pardoff 
for our daily offences, and the purifying influ- 
ences of his spirit to cleanse us from our sinful 
dispositions, and prepare us for a holy and 
happy immortality. 

3. And yet more clearly is the propriety of 
prayer seen, when we reflect, that this habit of 
reliance upon God, is necessary to our happi- 
ness in the present state ; and that the tem- 
pers of mind which prayer supposes, are es- 
sential to our progress in virtue. 

The duty of prayer is also abundantly 
taught in the Scriptures. 

1. It is frequently expressly commanded. 
This is evident from such passages as these r 
^^ Pray without ceasing." '^In every thing 



6F i'RAYERe t# 

givino; thanks, for this is the will of God 
ill Christ Jesus concerning yon." "^-In all 
things, by prayer and supplication, let your 
request be made known unto God.'' ^- 1 ex- 
hort that prayers and supplications^ interces- 
sions and rivino; of thanks be made for all 
men ; for this is good and acceptable in the 
sight of God our Saviour." Our blessed Sa- 
viour spake a parable to this end, '' that men 
ought ahvays to pray and never to faint." 

2. God declares in th.e Scriptures, that this 
is the condition, on which he will bestow fa-* 
vors upon men. " If any man lack wisdom, let 
him ask of God, who giveth to all men liber- 
ally and upbraideth not, and it shall be given 
him." '' The effectual fervent prayer of a 
righteous man availeth much." '^ Ask, and 
it shall be given you, seek and ye shall find, 
knock and it shall be opened. Or what man 
is there of you, who^ if his son ask breads 
will give him a stone, or if he ask a fish, will 
give him a serpent. If ye then, being evilj 
know how to give good gifts to your children,^ 
how much more, shall your heavenly Father 
give good gifts to them that ask him.." 

3. The Scriptures declare the habit of pray- 
er to be a mark of distinction between the 
righteous and the wicked. '^ The ivicked 
say, wdiat is the Almighty that we should 



80 THE DUTY 

serve him, or what profit shall we have if we 
call upon him." '^ The wicked through the 
pride of his countenance will not seek after 
God. God is not in all his thoughts." On 
the contrary those whom God approves, are 
frequently designated as '^ those that call up- 
on/' and ^^ those that seek him." 

4. The Bible abounds w^ith examples of 
special answers to prayer under every variety 
of circumstances. Witness the prayer of 
Abraham for Sodom ; — the prayer of the Is- 
raelites when under bondage in Egypt \ — the 
prayer of Moses for the Israelites in the wil- 
derness ;— the prayer of Elijah for drought 
and for rain ; — the prayer of Nehemiah for 
the restoration of the Jews ; — the prayer of 
Daniel for the same subject ; and for divine 
illumination respecting the purposes of God, 
and a thousand others. What God has thus 
encouraged, is not merely a duty, it is a most 
inestimable and unspeakable privilege. In a 
word, what can be so rich a privilege, as the 
opportunity afforded to blind, sinful, helpless 
man, to go with all his wants, and cares, and 
sorrows, to an infinitely wise, benevolent and 
compassionate Creator ; with the assurance 
that he that cometh shall in no w^ise be cast 
out, that whatever he suitably asks for, he 
shall, if it be best for him, receive ; and, that 



OF PRAYER. 81 

God will, yet more, reward such an one for 
the very act of thus coming to him* 



Questions. 

1. Explain, in your own language, why we 
ought to pray to God, on account of our con- 
dition as crea^wre^? 

2. Explain, in your own language, why we 
ought to pray to God on account of our con-^ 
dition as sinners ? 

3. Of what value are the tempers of mind 
which prayer requires ? 

4. What would be the difference, between 
a man, who had these tempers of mind, and 
one who had them not. 

5. What is the parable, by which our Sa- 
viour taught men always to pray and not to 
faint? Can you repeat it? 

6. What encouragements do the Scriptures 
offer to prayer ? 

7. Why should the Scriptures make prayer 
the distinction between good and bad men ? 

8. What encouragement to pray, do we re- 
ceive from the prayer of Abraham ? 

9. What does God say to Moses, respect- 
ing the prayer of the children of Israel m 
Egypt? 



82 THE UTILITY OF PKAYER. 

10. What does the Apostle James say re- 
specting the prayer of Elias ? 

11. Where is the prayer of Nehemiah for 
the restoration of the Jews, and how was this 
prayer answered. 

12. How was the prayer of Daniel for di- 
vine illumination, answered ? 

13. Did Daniel do right in praying to God, 
when the law of the king forbade him ? 

14. What are we to learn from this ? 

15. Would you not lose a great deal, if you 
were never to ask your parents for any thing, 
and never thank them for any thing ? 

16. Must not people lose a great deal more, 
who never ask God for any thing, and never 
thank him for any thing ? 



Section III. 
The utility of Prayer. 

After what has been already said, but little 
need be added on this subject. We shall on- 
ly remark, that the utility of prayer may be 
seen. 

1. From the tempers of mind, which, as we 
have before said, it supposes. Every one 



THE UTILITY OF PRAYER. 83 

must acknowledge, that, whatever produces 
such tempers of mind, must be of the greatest 
use to a moral and accountable creature. 

2. God has made it the condition, on which^ 
alone, we can expect the blessings which w^e 
need. Not that we never receive any favors 
that we do not pray for, but, that God prom- 
ises to bestow them on no other condition ; 
and, that he declares, that he will bestow fa- 
vors on those who pray, which he will not be- 
stow, on those who do not pray. 

And that he should do this, is surely very 
reasonable. A parent may bestow necessary 
food, and clothing, and care, upon all his chil- 
dren : but, surely he would be a very unjust 
and unwise parent, if he did not make a dif- 
ference in bis treatment of his children, ac- 
cording to their character ; that is, if he did 
not, by his conduct, show approbation of the 
obedient and thankful, and disapprobation of 
the disobedient and unthankful. 

That, however, a man shall receive all, and 
at the very time, and in the very manner, that 
he asks for it, is not asserted. It is asserted, 
that he, who asks in a proper temper, com- 
mitting all his affairs in pious submission to an 
all wise, compassionate and faithful God, is as- 
sured, that God will take the charge of them^ 
and direct them for the best good of the sup- 



84 THE UTILITY OF PRAYEE* 

pliant. No reasonable and pious person 
could ask for any thing else. The answer to 
our prayers, for particular temporal blessings, 
is therefore, to be. expected only contingently ; 
that is, if it be for our best good. But as spiritual 
blessings, that is, our own moral improvement, 
is undoubtedly for our moral good, he who 
asks for these, will assuredly be answered, in 
his own personal progress in virtue. 

Since the relations of all men to God are 
essentially the same, all, equally, stand in need 
of prayer, and will all equally perish if they 
live prayerlessly. It is the duty, therefore, of 
all men, of young and old, of wise and un- 
wise, to pray. No pressure of other duty, no 
weight of responsibility, forms any excuse for . 
the neglect of it. For, the more numerous 
and important our duties, the more solemn 
will be our account ; and the more impera- 
tive our need of divine assistance. Nor is 
youth any excuse for this neglect, unless our 
ignorance and weakness and helplessness, be a 
reason why w^e should not apply for assis- 
tance, to that Being, in whom, by the necessi- 
ty of his nature, reside the exhaustless treas- 
ures of infinite wisdom, and everlasting 
streno-th. 



questions. 85 

Questions. 

1. Will you not wish, when you come to 
die, that you had cultivated such dispositions 
as are required of us when we pray ? 

2. Have you any reason to hope that your 
sins will be forgiven, and thai you will be pre- 
pared for heaven, if you do not pray? Why? 

3. Is it not right, that God should bestow 
favors upon those that pray, which he would 
not bestow upon those who do not pray ? 

4. When God pronaises that he will answ^er 
prayer, does he mean tliat he will always give 
us all that we ask for ? 

5. What does he mean? 

6. What blessings does he promise, without 
reserve, that he will give us if we ask for 
them ? 

7. Do young persons stand in need of pray- 
er, as much as those that are older? 

8. Is our business, any excuse for not de- 
voting time to pray to God ? Why ? 

9. Are our studies any excuse for this neg- 
lect ? 

10. Is our play any excuse for it ? 

11. Is it any excuse for this neglect, that 
we do not want to pray ? 

12. Can we form any estimate of our char- 
acter, from our habits in this respect ? 

8 



86 QUESTIONS* 

13. Suppose we pray, without any of the 
proper tempers of mind, will it do us any 
good ? 

14. Is there any man who ought not to 
pray ? 



CHAPTER III. 

THE OBSERVANCE OF THE SABBATH. 

Although the sabbath is a positive institu- 
tion, and the proof of its obUgation is to be 
sought for in the Scriptures, yet there are evi- 
dent indications, that a portion of our time is 
necessary for rest from labor. Animals and 
men, who enjoy one day in seven as a period of 
rest, will endure hardship better, and will ac- 
complish more labor in a year, than those who 
are worked, every day, without intermission. 
We shall, in this chapter, consider the instruc- 
tions of the Scriptures on this subject ; first^ 
as to the institution of the day, and second^ as 
to the manner in which it is to be observed. 



Section I. 

Of the institution of the Sabbath, 

The first reference to this institution is found 
in Gen. ii. 1—3. Thus the heavens and the 
earth were finished, and all the hosts of them. 
And on the seventh day, God ended his works 



88 THE INSTITUTION 

which he had made, and he rested on the 
seventh day from all his works which he had 
made. And God blessed the seventh day, and 
sanctified it ; because that in it he had rested 
from all his works which God created and 
made. 

Now concernino; this passage we remark: 

1. As it was given to our first parents^ it 
was given to the whole human race. 

2. God blessed it, that is, made it a day of 
peculiar blessing to man. He sanctified it, 
that is, set it apart from a common to a sacred 
use. 

3. The nature of the ordinance is general. 
God sanctified it, that is, the day. The act 
has reference to no particular people, but to 
the day itself. 

4. The object, for which the day is set 
apart, is general. If it be rest, all men need 
it. If it be moral cultivation, or the use of 
the day for religious purposes ; they all equal- 
ly require such a service. 

There are indications that such a day was 
observed, before the giving of the law. 

1. Gen. iv. 3. Cain and Abel brought in 
process of time, or at the end, or cutting off 
of days, an offering unto the Lord. The term 
cutting off, or section of days, seems naturally 
to refer to the sabbath, or close of the week. 



OF THE SABBATH, 89 

2, Noah seems to have observed the divis- 
ion of time into weeks. This is evident from 
the periods which he suffered to elapse be- 
tween the sending out of the dove. Gen. viii. 
]0~12. He also entered into the Ark seven 
days before the flood came. Gen. vii. 4-10. 

The next mention of the sabbath, is made 
shortly after the departure of the Israelites 
out of Egypt. Ex. xvi. 22-23. And it 
came to pass, that on the sixth day they gath- 
ered twice as much bread, two omers for one 
man, and all the rulers of the congregation 
came and told Moses. And he said unto them, 
this is that which the Lord hath said, to- 
morrow is the rest of the holy sabbath unto 
the Lord. 

Concerning this passage I remark : 

1, That as it occurs before the giving of the 
law, the obligatoriness of the sabbath is recog- 
nized irrespective of the law. 

2. Moses speaks of the sabbath as an in- 
stitution of v/hich they ought to have known ; 
and, on which, they might have expected the 
occurrence v^^hich took place. He reproves 
them as erring in despite of knowledge, al- 
though he had before, in this connection, giv- 
en no directions respecting the sabbath. 

The division of time into seven days is 
moreover very common among all ancient 



90 TiiE iNSTlfUTlOJ^ 

tiationg. This seems to indicate that they all 
received this institution from the same source^ 
although 5 the religious observance of it had 
been gradually neglected. 

From these factSj I think we may concludcj 
that the sabbath was originally given to the 
whole human race, and that it was observed 
by the Hebrews, previously to the giving of 
the law ; and, that^ in early ages, this observ- 
ance was probably universal. 



OF THE MOSAIC SABBATtt. 

The precept for the observance of the sab- 
bath, at the giving of the law, is in these words^ 
Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy. 
Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work, 
but, the seventh, is the sabbath of the Lord thy 
God ; in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, 
nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy man 
servant, nor thy maid servant, nor thy cattle, 
iior thy stranger that is within thy gates, for, 
in six days, the Lord made heaven and earth, 
the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the 
seventh day. Wherefore the Lord blessed the 
seventh day and hallowed it. Ex. xx. IL 
In addition to the observance of this as a day 
of rest, it was also appointed as a day for re- 



O^ THE SABBATH. 91 

ligious services. Lev. xxiii. 3. The seventh 
day is a sabbath of rest, a holy convocatioru 
The sabbath was thus observed by the Jews^ 
at the time of the Apostles. '^ Moses, of old 
time,, hath, in every city, those that preach 
him ; being read in the Synagogues every sab- 
bath day.'' Acts xv. 21. 

Now, inasmuch as this precept belongs to 
the law of the ten commandments, of which 
all the other are considered universally ob- 
ligatory ; as the reasons given are the same 
as those for its original institution ; and as w^e 
find it frequently referred to in the Prophets as 
one of the moral laws of God, we conclude 
that it is of unchangeable obli2:ation. 



OF THE CHRISTIAN SABBATH. 

If the command to observe the sabbath is 
universally obligatory, the only question which 
remains to be considered is, why Christians ob- 
serve the first day of the week instead of the 
seventh. 

The reason for this, is found in the examples, 
of inspired Apostles, and of the early Christians. 

1. That early Christians, wdth the sanction 
of the Apostles, were accustomed to meet 
statedly to worship God and to celebrate the 
Lord's Supper is evident from 1. Cor. xi. 20^ 
%\y. 23-40. And that these meetings were 



92 THE INSTITUTIOlSf 

on the first day of the week^ is evident, from 
1. Cor. xvi. 1-2. Acts xx. 6-11. At the 
time of the writing of the Revelations, this day 
had already obtained that name, by which, it 
was ever afterwards distinguished. " I was in 
the Spirit on the Lord^s day,^' 

From this period, the notices of this day are 
abundant, in all the Christian fathers. They 
allude to the keeping of this day, as the day of 
our Lord's resurrection. So universal was 
their practice of observing it, as a day of re- 
ligious w^orship, that it was spoken of by the 
Roman magistrates ; and was one common 
means of convicting them of Christianity. 

Now, the example of inspired men, is suf- 
ficient to prove that the keeping of this day is 
acceptable to God. Nay, as it was kept to the 
exclusion of the other, it seems to lay us under 
a moral obligation to follow their example. 
Specially, would this be the case, when, by 
keeping the first day, in preference to the sev- 
enth, we can so much better attain the end, for 
which the institution was established. 



Questions. 

1 . What do you mioan by the sabbath being 
a positive institution ? 

2. Repeat the passage, in which, the institu- 
tion of the sabbath is first recorded ? 



OF THE SABBATH. 93 

3. Why do we suppose, that it was given to 
the whole human race ? 

4. What is meant by sanctifying the sab- 
bath ? 

5. What reasons have we, for supposing, that 
the sabbath was observed before the time of 
Moses ? 

6. AVhat do we learn, from the manner, in 
which the sabbath is first mentioned in the 
wilderness ? 

7. Repeat the commandment in the law, in 
which the keeping of the sabbath is enjoined. 

8. How was the sabbath kept among the 
Jews, besides being observed as a day of rest ? 

9. What was the example of the inspired 
Apostles, respecting the day to be kept for 
worship ? 

10. What was the example of the early 
Christians, and of Christians since that time ? 

11. If we are at liberty to keep either the 
seventh or the (irst day, which day, as Chris- 
tians, should we wish to keep ? 

Section II. 

Of the manner in ivhicJi the Sabbath is to 
be observed. 

1. The law of the sabbath forbids all labor 
either of body or of mind. '^ Six days shalt 



94 THE MANNER OF 

thou labor and do all thy work. But, the sev- 
enth, is the sabbath of the Lord thy God, in it 
thou shalt not do any work." The only ex- 
ceptions to this rule, are those made by our 
Saviour; works of necessity or mercy. We 
have no right to labor at our ordinary vocation, 
whether it employ our physical or intellectual 
faculties, nor to travel on this day. It is set 
apart by God, for himself. 

2. It forbids the labor of servants and 
children, in a word, of all those committed to 
our charge. The precept includes our sons 
and daughters, and our servants as well as our- 
selves. They stand in the same relations to 
God as ourselves ; and we have no right to ap- 
propriate that time, which he has already ap- 
propriated to himself. And still more, he who 
is at the head of a family, is bound to see that 
all under his charge, refrain from labor, and 
sanctify the day. 

3. The command of God forbids us to em- 
ploy in labor, on that day, brute animals. 
They are as much entitled to its rest as our- 
selves. 

4. The command is, to rest. Hence it as 
much forbids the employment of our time in 
the pursuit of pleasure, as of wealth. It is as 
much a profanation of the sabbath to spend it 



OBSERVING THE SABBATH. 95 

in visiting, journeying, riding, sailing, or in any 
form of amusement, as in labor. 

On the contrary, the precept for the observ- 
ance of the sabbath enjoins the keeping of the 
day holy, that is, the sanctifying it, or setting 
it apart for a religious purpose. To rest from 
labor is commanded, but this is not all ; we are 
to occupy it in the services of religion. Among 
these are ; — 

1. Reading the Scriptures, meditation and 
prayer in private. 

2. The special instruction in religion of the 
young, and those committed to our care. 
Hence we are bound to make such arrange- 
ments in our families, as are consistent with this 
duty. 

3. Social worship. This, under the Mosaic 
and Christian dispensation, has ahvays formed 
an important part of the duties of this day. 

The sabbath is one seventh part of time, 
that is, a whole day. Hence, the whole of it 
is to be consecrated to the service of God. 
To employ any part of it in labor or amuse- 
ment, or in trifling or secular conversation, or 
reading, is a violation of the command of God. 
It does not begin and end with the ringing of 
the bell for church, but it includes the whole 
day. 

Again. It is set apart for the whole race^ 



96 QUESTIONS, 

that is, for all men. Statesmen and legislators 
are under as great obligations to keep it, as pri- 
vate citizens, the rich and powerful as much as 
the poor and dependent. Nor are any so in- 
significant as to be excused from the obliga- 
tion. The child is commanded to keep the 
day holy as much as his parent, and he sins 
against God, as much, by playing, as older 
persons do, by labor, on God's holy day. 

I would impress these remarks particularly 
upon the young. One of the first indications 
that a young person is becoming vicious, is his 
disrespect of the sabbath and neglect of reli- 
gious worship. The youthful sabbath-breaker 
rarely fails to become a profligate and abandon- 
ed man. Let a young person therefore, under 
all circumstances, keep the sabbath day holy, 
and let him strenuously avoid the company of 
those w4:io are inclined to violate it. 



Questions. 



1. What Vv^ork may we do on the sabbath 
day? 

2. Suppose we neglect a work of necessity 
on Saturday, may we do it on Sunday ? 
Why ? 

3. Suppose 1 employ another to work for 
me on the sabbath, who is in fault, he or I ? 



Q,UESTIONfej. 9t 

4. Ought we to spend as much lahor in 
cooking on the sabbath, as on other days ? 
Why ? 

5. For what purposes may we use ammalsj 
on the sabbath day ? 

6. Animals cannot be religious ; why then 
should tney rest on the sabbath? 

7. Why should we not amuse ourselves on 
the sabbath ; since amusement is a sort of 
rest and refreshes the mind ? 

8. What is the great purpose for which 
God gave man the sabbath ? 

9. How sljould the duties of the sabbath 
be divided ? 

10. Ought young persons to keep the sab- 
bath, as well as those who are elder? 

11. Is it right for young persons to play, 
to talk of their sports and to read trifling books, 
or to saunter about the fields on the sabbatli ? 
Why ? 

12. Why may we not do this when we are 
not in church ; and when our parents do not 
see us ? 

13. W^ould it be right for legislators to 
meet, and make laws on the sabbath day ? 

14. Suppose one of your companions was 
in the habit of spending his sabbath in amuse- 
ment, what opinion should you form of liim, if 
he had had an opportunity to know better ? 

9 



98 QUESTIONS. 

15. Did you ever know a good boy or girl 
who was in the habit of breaking the sabbath ? 

16. Explain how you ought to keep the 
sabbath, beginning at the morning and going on 
through the day ? 

Having considered the duties of man to 
God, we next proceed to treat of the duties 
of man to his fellow man. These may be 
considered under two heads. 1. The duties 
of reciprocity. 2. The duties of benevo- 
lence. Hence this portion of the subject will 
be divided into two parts. 



LOVE TO MAN, OR MORALITY. 
CHAPTER L 

THE DUTIES OF RECIPROCITY. 

This duty may be illustrated by several 
considerations. 

1. When we look upon the gifts of God to 
men, and nations, we observe a very striking 
diversity in the means of happiness which he 
has bestowed. One man possesses more 
strength than another, a second is distinguished 
for personal appearance, a third for taste, a 
fourth for imagination, a fifth for wealth, and 
thus indefinitely. In this respect, therefore, 
men are, in the most striking degree unequal. 

But in another respect, they are all equal, 
God having bestowed these gifts, upon each 
one, severally, as he will ; and, holding every 
one accountable for the use of them, has 
given to every one, the right to derive from 
them all the happiness in his power, provided, 
he do not so use them, as to interfere with the 
happiness of his neighbor. In this respect, 
therefore, that is, in the right to use for his 
own happiness, without injury to his neighbor, 
whatever God has given to him, all men stand 
on the ground of perfect equality. 

The case may be illustrated by a familiar 



100 DUTY OF RECIPROCITY. 

instance. Suppose a wise and indulgent pa- 
rent, having remarked the separate dispositions 
of his children, bestows upon them various pos- 
sessions, according to their individual habits, 
and character. To one he gives houses, to 
another land, to another money, and to an- 
other education. His intention, nnanifestly is, 
that each one should derive all the happiness 
he can, from that particular portion which he 
has received. But this diversity of gifts, con- 
fers on no one, the right of infringing upon the 
possessions, or means of happiness of his 
brother. And, specially, if the father had 
given to one, more than to another, would this 
inequality present no reason, why, he who was 
most favored, should, by oppression and extor- 
tion make the inequality greater. 

Now the law of reciprocity, teaches us to 
observe this distinction, in all our dealings with 
our fellow men. It enjoins, that, as we all 
claim the right to enjoy, without molestation, 
the means of happiness which God has be- 
stowed upon us, we leave every one to enjoy, 
without molestation, the means of happiness 
which God has bestowed upon him. We claim 
the right to use our senses, our limbs, our intel- 
lect, our possessions, our reputation, as we will, 
if we do not molest any one else ; and, we are 
bound to leave every one else undisturbed, in 
the exercise of the same right. If w^e act other- 



tfVTY OF RECIPROCITY. lOl 

Wise, if, to promote our own happiness, we 
infringe upon the right which God has given to 
our neighbor to promote his own happiness, 
we violate the law of reciprocity. 

This duty, in the Scriptures, is enforced by 
the command, Thou shalt love thy neighbor 
as thyself. 

Our Lord, in the parable of the good Sa- 
maritan, teaches us who is meant by our 
neighbor. It is the stranger, the alien, the 
national enemy, that is, every man whatever^ 
under what circumstances soever, he may be 
placed. 

But, what is meant, by loving our neighbor 
as ourselves. Let us ask, how do we love 
ourselves. We answer, every one loves to 
enjoy, without molestation^ the means of hap- 
piness which God has conferred upon him ; 
and he is painfully conscious of injury, if this 
right be interfered with. In this manner he 
loves himself. Now, in the same manner he 
is bound to love his neighbor. That is, he is 
bound to have the same desire, that his neigh- 
bor should enjoy unmolested, the gifts of 
God's providence, as he has to enjoy them 
himself; and, to feel the same pain, when 
another man's rights are invaded, as he does 
when his ow^n are invaded. With such senti- 
ments, he would be just as unwilling to violate 



102 DUfY OF RECH^UOClTir. 

the rights of anotherj as to suffer a violation of 
his own rights. He would love his neighbor's 
rights, as he loves his own ; that is, he Vv^ould 
love his neighbor as he loves himself. 

The same precept is expressed in other 
places, in another form. All things whatso- 
ever ye would that men should do unto youj 
do ye, even so, unto them ; for, this is the 
law and the prophets. Mat. vii. 12. That 
is to say, would w^e wish to know how delicate ^ 
is the respect which we should entertain to- 
wards the rights of others ; we m.ay always 
decide it, by asking, how delicate is the re- 
spect which we would desire him to entertain 
towards our own rights. But this precept, I 
think, goes a single step farther. It obliges 
every man, to commence such a course of con- 
duct, without regard to the conduct of others 
to himself. If we complain that another has 
violated the law of reciprocity towards us, 
it commands us, before we urge this claim 
any further, to act upon this principle towards 
him. Every one must see, that, if this com- 
mand were obeyed, retaliation would instantly 
cease, and by leaving all the injuries at the 
door of one party, and placing before that 
party the constant example of justice, it 
would deprive him of the shadow of apology. 
ThuSj the tendency of such conduct would 



i3UTY 01' RECIPROCITY. 103 

be, to banish crime and violence from the 
€arth. 

From what we have said, it is evident, that 
this precept is of universal application. It 
binds all men, and under all circumstances. 
It applies to the strong and the weak, the 
rich and the poor, tlie young and the old. 
The richer the benefits God has bestowed up* 
on us, the greater is the reason why we should 
be satisfied with our lot, and strive to be the 
means of benefitting others. If God lias 
been bountiful to us, this, surely, is no reason^ 
why we should deprive another, whom God 
has dealt with less liberally, of the slender 
pittance, which has been conferred upon him. 
And this apphes to children, as well as to 
men. The boy, who takes from his play fel- 
low, a hoop, or a kite, because he is stronger, 
or who cheats him out of it, because he is 
older, and more sagacious, just as much vio- 
lates this law, as the man wdio robs a house, 
or steals a horse. 

And the precept applies to nations as w^ell 
as to individuals ; that is, it is given to man, as 
man, under what circumstances soever, he 
may be placed. Nations are bound to love 
the rights of other nations, as they love their 
own ; and, to require of them nothing else, 
thsLU they actually exemplify in their own con- 



104 DUTY CTF KECri*^Ra€lTYe 

duct to others. It is a much greater wrong^^ 
for nations to oppress, to lie, and cheat, than 
for individuals to do the same wickedness, be- 
cause it inflicts injury, and corrupts the moral 
sentiments of men^ to a much wider extent. 
And, for such wrong, both rulers and people 
will be held answerable at the bar of God. 

And, lastly. Inasmuch as we are all the 
creatures of God, and are all equally under 
his protection, he who violates the law of re- 
ciprocity, not only does wrong to man, but 
sins against God^ We are bound to do jus- 
tice to our neighbor, not only because he is 
our neighborj but also, because he is a crea- 
ture of God ; and because God has command- 
ed us to do it. No act of injustice, therefore, 
whether in young or old, in individuals or na- 
tions, is a trifling offence, inasmuch as it is a 
violation of our obligations to our maker, and 
he will assuredly requite it, either in this 
world or the next. 



Questions. 

1. Give examples, from cases which you 
know, of the difference in the gifts of God, to 
different persons. 

2. Does this difference give to one, a right 
to interfere with the gifts^ which God has be* 



QUESTIONS* 105 

Stowed upon another ? Illustrate this. Give 
examples. 

3. Illustrate this by such examples as these. 
Suppose one man had a larger farm than an- 
other, or was stronger than another, or one 
boy had a larger kite than another. 

4. Who is our Father, and gives us all 
things, as he pleases ? What conclusion 
should we draw from this ? 

5. Illustrate, in your own language, what 
you mean by the law of reciprocity. Show, 
by examples, how you would act, if you obey- 
ed it, and how you would act if you disobey- 
ed it. 

6. Repeat, in your own language, the par- 
able of the good Samaritan. 

7. When we consider the question to which 
the parable was an answer, and the command 
of Christ at the close, what do we suppose 
that Christ meant to teach us by it ? 

8 , Give an CKample, of loving your neigh- 
bor as yourself. 

9. Illustrate, by example, what you under- 
stand by the precept, as ye would that men 
should do unto you, do ye even so unto them* 

10. Suppose another person has treated 
you unkindly, how ought you to treat him, 
when you ask him to make reparation ? 

IL You feel that it is wrong for another 



106 quESTioNS, 

person to treat you ill ; what does this feeling 
teach you, in respect to your treatment to him ? 

12. If God has given you more strength, 
or more wealth, or more knowledge than an- 
other person, what right does this give you 
over that other person? 

13. What obligation does it impose upon 
you towards him ? 

14. We are much stronger and wiser than 
the Indian tribes on our frontiers. Does this 
give us any right to interfere with the means 
of happiness which God has given them ? 
Why? 

15. Suppose we violate the duty of reci- 
procity, is this a sin against God ? Why I 
Explain in your own language,. 



CHAPTER II. 

OF PERSONAL LIBERTY, AND THE MODES IN 
WHICH IT MAY BE VIOLATED. 

I have said, that every man has an equal 
right to use whatever means of happiness God 
has bestowed upon him, in such manner as 
he pleases, provided he do not so use it, as to 
molest his neighbor. Among these gifts are 
our limbs and faculties, our intellect, and our 
conscience. That is, we all have a right to 
use the various powers of our bodies, our 
minds and our conscience, in such manner as 
we please, provided, we do not interfere with 
the right which every other man has, to use 
his means of happiness in the same manner. 
Every man has a right to use his eyes, his 
hands, his feet, as w^ill promote his own hap- 
piness, if he leave others unmolested. Every 
one has a right to study what he please, and 
to make known what he believes to be truth, 
to those who are willing to hear it ; and to 
worship God in such manner as he beheves 
%vill be acceptable to him, provided, only, he 



108 OF PERSONAL LIBEETY. 

does this, without interfering with the rights of 
his neighbor. 

The only apparent exceptions to this, are^ 
such as spring from the relation of parent 
and child, 

1. A parent is under obligation to support 
a child, and is responsible for his actions. He 
must therefore have a right to control his ac- 
tions. He is responsible to God for the in- 
tellectual and moral education of the child^ 
and therefore he has a right to contiol what- 
ever a child shall read, and in childhood^ 
what religious instruction he shall receive. 

2. A parent has a right to the services of 
his child, until he becomes of age, and is able 
to provide for himself. Ihis right, he may^ 
as in the case of apprenticeship, transfer to an- 
other. But as his own right is limited by 
age, he can transfer it, for no longer time^ 
than he could enforce it Ijimself. This right 
of the parent over the cliild, however, ceases 
when the child becomes of age ; and after 
that, the parties stand, so far as natural right is^ 
concerned, upon the same level with other 
men. 

The right of personal liberty may be viola- 
ted. 1. By the individual ; and 2. By soci- 
ety. 



109 



Section I. 

The violation of Personal Liberty by the In^ 
dividual. 

The most common form of this violation, is, 
in the case of domestic slavery. 

Domestic slavery, proceeds upon the belief, 
that A, by the payment of money to B, may 
obtain a right to use the physical and intel- 
lectual, and to control the moral powers of C, 
as he pleases. It supposes that one man, has 
no right to use his limbs, his intellect, and his 
other powers, for the promotion of his own 
happiness, but only in such manner as will 
promote the happiness of another. And it sup- 
poses the master to have this right, not over a 
single individual only, but over as many as he 
can obtain by purchase. 

It is manifest that slavery involves the right 
over the intellect and conscience, for, if it 
exist, it must involve every thing necessary to 
its existence and perpetuity. And that such 
control is supposed necessary, is evident from 
the fact, that in all cases of apprehended in- 
surrection, the master has always assumed it, 
and has claimed the right to do so. 

The precepts of the Gospel seem equally 
at variance with the existence of slavery. 
10 



110 PERSONAL LIBERTY, 

The precept of the Christian religion i% 
thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself. The 
meaning of this precept, we have before 
shown. Now this must be absolutely prohib- 
itory of slavery, unless it can be shown, that 
he who is a slave, is not my neighbor. Every 
one must admit, that, were this precept univer- 
sally obeyed, slavery could not exist, for a 
moment, in fact, though it might exist for a 
while, in forra» 

Again. Every one sees, that slavery of 
white men, is at variance with the precepts of 
religion. We all thus judge, respecting the 
slavery formerly existing in the Barbary States. 
But does difference of color make any change 
in moral right, and moral obligation ? 

If it be said that the Old Testament recocr- 
nized slavery, we answer, this was an era of 
comparative moral darkness, to which, under 
the clearer light of the Gospel, we need 
not go for illumination. It also allowed of 
divorce, which the New Testament forbids. 

If it be said, that the New Testament does 
not forbid it, we answer, the first precept of 
the New Testament is such, that, if obeyed, 
slavery could not exist. It is unjust to say 
that it does not forbid it, because it does not 
take that particular mode of extii^pating it 
which we might select. 



:^ERSONAL LIBERTY. Ill 

While, however, such is the law of Nature 
and Revelation, it is proper that we should 
declare what seems to be the duty of masters 
and of slaves, supposing this relation to have 
become established. 

1. It is the duty of the master to recognize 
the right of the slave, to all the blessings 
which God has given him, equally with him- 
self. Hence, if the slave be able to take care 
of himself, the master will either immediately 
manuuiit him, or, by allowing him such wages 
^s are just, enable him, in process of time, to 
liberate himself. 

Which of these two modes would be equit- 
able, must be decided by a consideration of 
the circumstances of each individual case. 

If the slave be not able to take care of him- 
self, then, it will be the duty of the master to 
elevate his character, and improve his under- 
standing until he becomes so. As soon as 
this is accomplished, the duty of the master is 
the same as in the preceding case. 

On the other hand, the duty of the slave is 
submission, and obedience, in all cases in 
which this obedience is not at variance with 
the command of God. The fact, that the 
master exercises an unlawful authority, in no 
manner gives to the slave the liberty of retal- 



112 Q,UESTiaNS. 

iatioti. And slaves are commanded to do this^ 
on the ground, that this meekness and for- 
bearance and submission under injury, is well 
pleasing unto God, who will render unto every 
man according to his deeds. 

And yet more. It is our duty to make 
known to all men, who are willing to hear 
us, what we consider to be their duty to God ; 
having done this^ our responsibility, in respect 
to their actions, ceases. If they will not listen 
to us, the responsibility of their conduct rests 
with themselves. Much less are we at liber- 
ty to use offensive language respecting them^ 
or to excite men to war and bloodshed. The 
principles of the Gospel always teach us to do 
good to one party, by doing good to both. And 
if we attempt to do good in any other way, I 
think we cannot plead for our practice tha 
sanction of the Gospel. 



Q^UESTIONS. 



1. Suppose a man should imprison another 
in his house, in what manner would he violate 
the laws of reciprocity ? 

2. Suppose he would not let him go off from 
his farm^ what violation would this he I 



'QUESTIONS. 113 

3. How does the institution of slavery vio- 
late the right of personal liberty ? 

4. Could slavery exist, if equal right over 
their bodies and minds, were allowed to all 
men ? 

5. Could slavery exist, if every one under- 
stood and loved the rights of his neighbor as 
he does his own ? 

6. Would it be right for us to enslave men 
of our own color ? 

7. Does difference of color make any dif- 
fei-ence of right ? 

8. Suppose slavery was allowed under the 
Old Testament, does this rendeir it lawful for 
us? Why? 

9. Suppose you were a master, and w^ere 
convinced that it was contrary to the law of 
God to hold a slave, what ought you to do ? 

10. Suppose the slave was so ignorant, and 
unaccustomed to care, that he could not, if 
free, support himself, what ought you then to 
do? 

1 1 . Suppose you thus held him for his own 
good, and for the purpose of fulfilling the law 
of reciprocity, would you be guilty of the 
wrong of slavery? Why? 

12. Suppose you were a slave, what would 
be your duty to your master and to God ? 

13. Suppose slavery to be wrong, does 

10^ 



114 PERSONAL LlBl^Rtt^^ 

this give us any right to use abusive language 
towards those who hold slaves ? Why ? 

14. Suppose slavery to be wrong, does this^ 
give us any right to use any language, or da 
any thing else, w^hich would tend to excite 
masters and slaves to animosity against eacb= 
other ? 



Section IL 
Violation of Personal Liberty by Society.' 

By a society is meant a number of individ- 
uals, associated together, and agreeing to be 
governed by certain laws. Thus^ a family is 
a society, governed by the laws enacted by the 
parents. Thus, men form societies, among 
themselves, for the purpose of accomplishing 
certain purposes, as philosophical or benevo- 
lent societies. Thus, nations are also socie- 
ties, composed of individuals, united under 
certain laws, for the purpose of accomplishing 
certain objects. 

I have before stated, that God has commit- 
ted to every individual such means of happi- 
ness as he has pleased, and has given to all 
men an equal right, to employ those means as 
they choose, provided they do not employ then^ 



J^ERSO^AL LIBERTY, iW 

to the molestation of their neighbors. ' So 
long as they employ them innocently, there- 
fore, they are not responsible to any one; and^ 
if any one interfere with the innocent employ- 
ment of them, it is tyranny or oppression. 

But it is evident, that a society may thus 
interfere, as well as an individual. Thus, a 
whole family, as well as any one member^ 
may turn against a single individual, and agree 
to oppress him. So, also, a nation, which is 
a larger society, may agree together to injure 
a single individual, or several individuals ; that 
is, they may make laws, which shall interfere 
with the innocent pursuit of his or their happi- 
ness, and thus be guilty of oppression. 

When men unite together in a nation, they 
appoint certain persons to make and to exe- 
cute laws, who are called the government of 
that nation. These persons are Legislators, 
and the assembly, when convened, is called 
Parliament, Congress, or a Legislature, and 
those who execute the laws, are called Judges^ 
he, HencCj oppression is generally executed 
by governments, though in fact, it can never be 
executed, but with the consent of the people. 
Sometimes, however, the people are guilty of 
oppression, even in opposition to the govern-* 
ment ; this is the case when mobs assemble 
to injure and molest individuals ; and it is one 



116 jPersoMal Li:6EiEii:'if, 

of the most odious and detestable forms of op^ 
pression and tyranny. 

Societies interfere with the personal liberty 
of individuals in several cases. 

1. Wljen an individual is imprisoned with- 
out crime, or reasonable suspicion of crime. 

2. Whenever, although he may be possibly 
guilty of crime, he is punished without a fair 
and impartial trial. Until a crime is proved^ 
there is against a man nothing but suspicion. 
And, if it be allowed to punish men on sus- 
picion, the innocent are as likely to suffer as 
the guilty, that is, there is an end of justice. 

3. When a man is forbidden to go where he 
pleases, and employ himself as he pleases^ 
provided he do it to the injury of no one. 
This is the case, when a man is forbidden to 
leave a country, or to set up his trade in a 
particular district. All these violations of lib- 
erty occur, in many of the nations of Europe 
and Asia. 

Society may interfere with the intellectual 
liberty of man. 

1. When a man is forbidden to study any 
thing that he chooses. As in Catholic coun- 
tries, where a man is forbidden to study the 
Bible, and many other religious books. 

2. When a man is forbidden to publish his 
views of truth on any subject, not interfering 
with the rights of others. This was the case 



PERSONAL LIBERTY. 117 

when Galileo was forbidden by the church of 
Rome, to publish his opinions respecting As- 
tronomy ; and when men are, by the same 
authority, forbidden to circulate the Scriptures 
and religious books. 

When, however, men publish works which 
tend to excite the wicked passions of men, and 
lead them to violence, or when they publish 
what will injure the reputation of their neigh- 
bors, it is the duty of society to interfere and 
punish the guilty. This, however, is only to be 
done, after a fair and impartial trial, to which, 
a man, in this case, as in any other, is fully 
entitled. 

Society may interfere with the religious lib- 
erty of the individual. As the cultivation of 
his moral nature is one means of happiness, 
every man is at liberty to cultivate it, in any 
manner that he chooses, without injury to his 
neighbor. Society violates this right. 

1. When the exercise of any mode of wor- 
shipping God, which does not molest other 
men is forbidden. 

2. When any mode of worship is com- 
manded ; because, that which is thus com- 
manded, may seem to those on whom it is im- 
posed, contrary to their obligations to God. 

3. By inflicting punishments on men, or 
depriving them of any of their rights, because 



118 QUESTIONS. 

they profess one religion in preference to 
anotlier. 

4. By any method, in which rehgious nien 
are deprived of any facihties for the prosecu- 
tion of their happiness in this way, which are 
granted to other men, for prosecuting it in any 
other way. If the whole subject of religion 
is a matter between a man and his God, socie- 
ty has no right to interfere with it, only in so 
far, as it interferes with the duties which man 
owes to man. And, in this case, the interfer- 
ence is not on the ground that the thing in 
question is a good or a bad religion, but on the 
ground, that there is a violation of the rights 
of man. 

Religious liberty is violated in Catholic and 
Mahomedan countries, where only a particular 
form of religion is allovv^ed : and also in many 
Protestant countries, where, a particular form 
is established by law ; and the professors of 
every other are deprived, for this cause, of 
many of their just rights. 



Questions, 



1. Suppose you wished to form a society, 
how would you do it ? 

2, Suppose one hundred men were cast 
away on a desolate island and wished to form 
a government, how would they proceed? 



QUESTIONS. 119 

3. What general principles should they 
adopt as the foundation of all their laws ? 

4. Can people, as well as governments^ be 
guihy of oppression ? Give an example. 

5. In some countries, kings, when displeas- 
ed with any of their people, have ordered 
them to be imprisoned for life. Was this 
right? Why? 

6. Suppose a man was suspected of mur- 
der, but there was no proof against him, would 
it be right to imprison him or punish him ? 
Why ? 

7c In some countries, men are forbidden to 
go to any other country, though they might 
greatly benefit their condition by so doing. Is 
this right ? Why ? 

8. Why should not governments direct what 
books the people shall read ? 

9. Peter and John were beaten by the Jews, 
for declaring that Jesus was the Messiah. 
Why was this wrong? 

10. Suppose a man should publish a book 
persuading all men to rob and murder their 
neighbors. Ought this to be allowed ? Why ? 

11. Suppose there should be a number of 
Mahomedans in the United States; would 
it be right to let them build a mosque, and 
publish the Koran, and celebrate their false 
worship ? 



120 Q^UESTIONS. 

12. Ought not all men to worship God ? 
Ought we not then to oblige them to worship 
God ? If our way of worship is right, ought 
we not to make them worship him in our way ? 

13. In some countries men are deprived of 
the right of holding offices, unless they wor- 
ship God in one way. Is this right ? Why ? 

14. Legislatures have sometimes attempted 
to forbid men from giving away property to 
religious objects. Is this right ? Why ? 

15. Is it right to banish men for their reli 
gious opinions? 



CHAPTER IIL 

OF PROPERTY, 

Section I. 
Nature and origin of the Right of Property. 

The right of property is^ the right to use 
something as I choose, provided I do not so 
use it as to interfere with the rights of my 
neighbor. Thus, if a man owns a horse, he 
has a right to use liim in his own labor, as he 
will, and no one, except in case of excessive 
cruelty, has a right to interfere. But a man 
has no right to use his horse to eat up his 
neighbors' oats ; and it would be no excuse for 
his conduct, for him to plead, that the horse 
was his own, and he had a right to use him as 
he pleased. 

We proceed to consider the modes in which 
the right of property may be acquired. 

These are either direct or indirect. 

First. Direct, 

1. By the immediate gift of God. 

When God has given me a desire for any 
11 



122 RIGHT OF PROPERTY. 

object, and has spread the object before rae^ 
and there is no rational creature to contest my 
claim, I may take it. and use it as I will, sub- 
ject only to the limitation of my obligations to 
him, and to my fellow creatures. On this 
principle, is founded my right to enter upon 
wild and unappropriated lands, to hunt wild 
game, to pluck wild fruit, to take fish, in rivers, 
or in the ocean, or any thing of this sort. 

2. By the labor of my own hands. 

If I own a piece of land, and by the labor 
of my hands, raise an ear of corn, that ear of 
corn is mine, as much as the labor by which it 
was produced. If, however, another ow^n the 
farm, and 1 labor upon it, I am entitled only to 
the portion which has been agreed upon be- 
tween us. He is entitled to his share for the 
use of the farm, and I to a portion, as the result 
of ray labor. This is the nature of wages. 

Second. Indirect, 

1. By exchange. 

If I own any thing, I have the right inno- 
cently to use it as I will ; and, of course, if I 
see fit, to part with it for something else. As 
my neighbor has the same right, we may mu- 
tually exchange the ownership of particular 
articles v/ith each other. When such an ex- 
change is made by the respective owners, 
property is held rightfully. 

2. By gift. 



RIGHT OF PROPERTY. 123 

As I may rightfully part with, and another 
rightfully receive, my property for an equiva- 
lent rendered ; so, I may, if I choose, part 
with it, without an equivalent; that is, in obe- 
dience to my feelings of benevolence, affection 
or gratitude. This also confers a valid title to 
property. 

3. By will. 

As I have the right to dispose of my prop- 
erty during my lifetime, and may exchange or 
give it away as I see fit, previous to my de- 
cease ; so, I may give it to another, on condi- 
tion, that he shall not enter upon possession un- 
til after my death. 

4. By inheritance. 

As men frequently die intestate, that is, 
without having made a will ; society presumes 
upon the manner in which they would wish 
their property to be disposed of. Thus, it is 
supposed, that a husband and a parent would 
wish his property to be distributed among his 
wife and children; or, if a man have neither 
wife nor children, among his nearest relations. 
On such principles, therefore, the laws respect- 
ing inheritance are formed. This also gives a 
valid right to property. 

5. By possession. 

If a man hold property without any valid 
title, yet, if no one can show any better title^ 



124 Q,UESTIONS. 

we are bound to leave him unmolested. This 
is evident; for he who took it away, with no 
better title, would be liable to be immediately 
dispossessed by another, and, thus, contentions 
arise without end, and all without any bene- 
ficial result. 

To sum up what has been said in a few 
words. The right of property may originally 
be acquired either by the gift of God, or by 
the labor of our hands. It may be subse- 
quently acquired, either by exchange, by 
gift, by will, or by inheritance under law. 
But, in all cases of transfer of ownership, the 
consent of the original owner, either express- 
ed or interpreted by society, is necessary to 
render the transfer morally right. And lastly, 
although the individual may not have acquired 
a valid title to property ; yet, mere possession 
is a sufficient bar to molestation, unless some 
claimant can prefer a better title. 



Questions. 



1. By what right would you kill and eat a 
deer in a forest, or a buffalo on a prairie ? 

2. By what right would you take possession 
of, and cultivate, an island which you discov- 
ered ? 



RIGHT OF PROPERTY. 125 

3. By what right do you hold, as your 
property, the cattle which you have reared ? 

4. Explain the right of property acquired 
by exchange, and give an example. 

5. Why should men have a right to direct 
what shall be done with their property after 
they are dead ? 

6. Suppose a man has gained possession of 
a house, to which he has no right, but, of 
which I do not know who is the real owner ; 
have I any right to turn him out ? Why ? 

7. Enumerate, and give examples of the 
various modes by which property may be 
rightfully acquired. 

8. Enumerate the articles which you pos- 
sess, and explain the right by which you hold 
them. 



Section tl. 

Of the modes in which the Right of Proper- 
ty may be violated. 

The right of property, as we have said, is 
the right to use something as we will, provided 
we do not use it to the rnolestation of our 
neighbor. This right is exclusive. Provided 
a man uses his property within these limits, no 
11^ 



136 KIGHT OF PilOPERl'f* 

one whatever, has a right to interfere with him. 
And the right also covers all his possessions* 
No one has any more right to take a part^ 
though ever so small, than to take the whole. 
It is just as much a violation of the right of 
property^ to take an apple, as to take a horse ; 
to take what belongs to the public, as that 
which belongs to the individual. 

Again, w^e have said that no transfer of prop- 
erty is valid, without the voluntary consent of 
the owner. And this choice is not available 
of right, if it be influenced by motives, pre- 
sented wTongfully, by the receiver. If I 
threaten a man with death, if he does not give 
me money, he may choose to give me the 
money rather than be shot; but this does not 
render the transfer just. If I make a false 
representation to a man, and thus influence 
him, the injustice is the same. In the one 
case it is robbery, in the other case it is swind- 
ling. And, thus, in general, every transfer of 
property is morally wrong, when the consent of 
the owner is obtained, by means of a vicious 
act, on the part of him who receives it. 

Hence, the right of property may be viola- 
ted. 

1 . By taking property without knowledge 
of the owner, or theft. It does not vary the 
nature of the transaction, to say, that the owner 



illGHT OV PROPERTY. iSt 

does not care about it, or that he will never 
miss it, or would have no objection. The 
simple question is, has he consented to the 
transfer ? If he have notj the action is theft. 

2. By taking the property of another by 
consent, violently obtained, or robbery. 

Here, we wickedly obtain power over a 
man's life, and then offer him the choice of 
death or surrender of his property. As this 
is an ao^o-ravated violation of ridit, and also 
always endangers life, it is punished with the 
utmost severity, being, in most countries made 
a capital offence. 

3. By consent fraudulently obtained, or 
cheating. 

This may be of two kinds. ] . When no 
equivalent is offered, as, when a beggar obtains 
money on false pretences. 

2. Where the equivalent offered is different 
from what it purports to be ; or when consent 
is obtained by a fraudulent act on the part of 
him who ob al^is it. 

x4s this case includes by far the greatest 
number of violations of the law of property, 
and, as it is that from which most of the others 
proceed, it will be treated of, at considerable 
length. 

We shall divide the subject into three parts. 

1. When the equivalent is material, and 
the transfer perpetual. 



128 qiTESTIONS. ■ 

2. When the equivalent is material, and the 
transfer is for a limited time. 

3. When the equivalent is immaterial. 



Questions. 



1. If you own any thing, how much of it 
do you own ? 

2. If you own any thing, how much of it 
may any one take without your consent? 

3. How much may you take from another 
person, without his consent ? 

4. Suppose there was a pile of wood be- 
longing to the tov/n ; would there be any dif- 
ference between taking some of it, and taking 
it from an individual ? 

5. Suppose I oblige a man to give me mo- 
ney by a threat ; what is the nature of the 
crime ? 

6. Suppose I obtain money from another, 
by telling a lie ; what crimes do I commit ? 

7. Suppose you were passing by an orchard^ 
and took some apples ; would it be any excuse 
to say that the owner would never know it? 
Who would know it? 

8. Have you any objection, to other persons 
taking from you what is yours ? 



QUESTIONS. 129 

9. Have you any right to say, that they will 
have no objection to your taking what is theirs ? 

10. Suppose an older brother should take, 
by force, an apple from a younger brother ; 
what would this act be ? 

11. Suppose one boy should run away with 
another boy's kite, what would this be ? 

12. Suppose a giii should take a needle 
from the needle-case of another, without the 
other's know^ing it ; what would this be ? 

13. Suppose a man should beg money for 
medicine for his family, saying they were sick 
when they were not ; what would this be ? 

14. Suppose you sold a knife for a good 
one, which you knew would break, the first 
time it was used, what would this be ? 



Section III. 

The Law of Property^ when the equivalent 
is material, and the transfer perpetual, or 
the Law of Buyer and Seller. 

The nature of the law. In this case, may be 
seen, from considering the relative situation of 
the parties to each other. He who wants a 
pound of tea, or a yard of calico, could not 



130 THE LAW OF PKOPERTY. 

go to China for the one, nor to the manufactur- 
er for the other It is therefore for his in- 
terest to pay a person, to keep these things on 
hand for him, that he may buy them whenev- 
er, and in what quantities soever, he may 
want. This, the merchant undertakes to do 
for him ; and, therefore, he acquaints himself 
with the quahties of the goods, and employs 
his time and money, in buying them and keep- 
ing them for sale. This is a mutual advan- 
tage to both parties. The merchant is bound 
to exert his best skill and talent for the good 
of the customer, and the customer is bound to 
allow him a fair remuneration for his time, 
skill and expenses. 

Hence, 1. The merchant is under obliga- 
tion to furnish goods of the same quality, as 
that ordinarily furnished, at the same prices. 
He is paid for his skill in purchasing, and, if 
he do not possess that skill, the fault is his 
own, and he ought to suffer the consequences. 

If he have purchased a bad article, and has 
been deceived, he has no right to sell it at the 
market price, on the ground that he gave as 
much for it, as he would have done, if it had 
been good. If he had purchased an article 
very cheap, he would have been entitled to 
the benefit of his skill ; and if his skill be de- 



THE LAW OF PROPERTY. 131 

ficient, he must abide the consequences, by 
selling, not according to what it cost, but ac- 
cording to what it is worth. 

The only exc this rule is, where it 

is known that Jv .er buys at his own 

risk ; as when a horse is sold at auction, and 
nothing is said about it. It is then understood, 
that every one examines and decides for him- 
self, and bids accordiagly. 

2. The me^-cnanl is not only hound to sell, 
but is at liberty to sell, at the market price. 
That he is bound to sell thus, is evident from 
the fact, that he endeavours to persuade every 
one that he does so. Tiiat he is at liberty to 
do this, is evident from the fact, that if his 
goods fall in price on his hands, he must sell 
at the same price as others, or else no one 
will purchase of him. If then, he must suf- 
fer, in case of a fall of price, he may charge 
proportionably, with a rise of price. If I 
have given five dollars a barrel, for flour, and 
flour falls to four dollars, I must sell for four. 
If it rise to seven, I may charge seven, with- 
out regard to what it cost me. 

3. The seller, however, has no right to in- 
fluence the judgment of the buyer, by any 
motives, aside from those derived from the re- 
al value of the article in question. 

He has no right to appeal to the fears, or 



132 THE LAW OF PROPER'TY* 

hopesj or avarice of the buyer. He has' no 
right to spread false reports, concerning the 
plenty or scarcity of the article in question ; 
nor to purchase it in large quantities, for the 
sake of creating an artificial scarcity. He has 
no right to take advantage of the youth, inex- 
perience or vanity of the buyer ; and stimu- 
late him to make large purchases, or at great 
prices, or to practice the arts which are fre- 
quently resorted to, by those who are com- 
monly called good salesmen. 

4. These remarks apply, with just the same 
force, to the buyer. Both parties are under 
equal and corresponding obligations. The 
buyer is bound to allow to the seller a fair re- 
muneration for his labor, time, interest and 
risk. He is also forbidden to attempt to in- 
fluence the mind of the seller, by false infor- 
mation, or by any of those artifices, by which 
men frequently underrate the value of what 
they wish to purchase. '' 'Tis naught, 'tis 
naught, saith the buyer, but when he goeth 
his way, then he boasteth." 

It is vain to reply to these remarks, that, if 
men acted thus, their families could not be 
supported. It is better to be poor, than to 
act dishonestly, and disobey God. Besides, 
is it not evident, that two parties, acting on 
these principles, would, both, succeed better, 



THE LAW OF PROPERTY, ISB 

than by both endeavoring to cheat each other. 
And, again, if a man attempt to cheat me, 
that is a reason why I should not traffic with • 
him ; it is no reason why I should try to cheat 
him. 

5. A bargain is concluded, w^hen the par- 
ties have signified to each other, their will to 
make the transfer. Henceforth, all the risk 
of loss and the chance of gain, are mutually 
transferred ; although the articles themselv^es 
have never been removed. Hence, if an ar- 
ticle become injured after the sale, and before 
the delivery, the purchaser bears the loss, un- 
less the delivery were one of the conditions of 
sale ; and then, all loss, previous to actual de- 
livery, is borne by the seller. If I buy a load 
of coal on the wharf, and the wharf be wash- 
ed away, the loss is mine. If I buy a load 
of coal and pay for the delivery at my house, 
and the cart break down, and the coal be lost^ 
the loss falls upon the seller. 

6. The buyer is bound to inform the seller 
of any uncommon rise in the value of his 
goods. If he buys without so doing, it is 
fraud. If the property of my neighbor rise in 
value, by the providence of God, while it is in 
his possession, the advantage as justly belongs 
to him, as the jji^operiy itself, I have no 

12 



134 qUESflONS. 

more right to deprive him of the one, than of 
the other. 

These principles are, it is to be feared, too 
commonly lost sight of, in the transaction of 
business. They are violated v^hen men sell 
goods of a different character from that which 
their name imports ; as when wines are weak- 
ened and adulterated ; when ordinary weight 
or measure is curtailed ; or when a different 
fabric from that ordinarily understood by the 
name, is substituted, as when cotton and linen 
is sold for linen cloth. It is in vain to palli- 
ate these wronD;s, by telling of their universal- 
ity, as though universal wickedness, could 
render vice, virtue. The law of God is, thou 
shalt not covet ; and it matters not, who, or 
how many, disobey it, God will judge every 
man accordino; to his works. 



Questions. 

1. Suppose you w^ere to open a store, what 
is justly expected of you ? 

2. What good does a merchant do in a 
community? Explain in your own language. 

3. What do you give for marbles ? What 
w^ould they cost, if you had to go to Holland 
for them ? 



QUESTIONS. 135 

4. What do you give for needles? What 
would they cost, if you had to go to England 
for them ? 

5. Suppose you had purchased a piece of 
cloth and found it was damaged, have you any 
right to sell it for good ? Why ? 

6. Suppose you have purchased it at an auc- 
tion for damaged, and it proves to be good ; 
are you obliged to sell it for damaged ? 
Why? 

7. Suppose a man comes into your store to 
buy, and does not know any thing about the 
price of goods ; may you ask him what you 
please ? Why ? 

8. Suppose a man came to your store to 
buy, would you have a right to induce him to 
believe the article was very scarce, to make 
him buy more, when such was not the case ? 

9. Suppose I write to a merchant to send 
me a load of corn from Richmond, and the 
vessel is cast away, who bears the loss ? 
Suppose he offers to deliver it for such a 
price, and I pay it, who bears it then ? Why 
is this? 

10. Suppose I hear of the declaration of 
tvar, and know that flour is worth twice its 
previous value ; have I a right to buy of one 
who has not heard the news, at the formei? 
price ? 



136 OF LOANS or PROPERTY. 

1 1. Would men grow rich faster or slower, 
if they all obeyed the rules of strict justice ? 



Section. IV, 
Of temporary transfers of Property, or Loans. 

A man frequently wishes the use of the 
property of another, for a specified time. 
He is then, under obligations to pay a reason- 
able price for this temporary possession. The 
amount paid for the use of money, is called in- 
terest. What is paid for the use of other 
property, is called rent, or hire. 

The principles, by which this remuneration 
are fixed, are the following. The borrower 
pays, 1st for the use, and 2d for the risk. 

1. The use. Some property is more use- 
ful, that is, is capable of yielding a larger 
profit, than other property. One farm will 
yield a larger crop than another. And the 
same property may be worth more at some 
times than at others. When there are many 
persons desirous of hiring farms, the rent of 
a farm will justly be higher, than when many* 
farms are unoccupied, and no one wishes to 
hire. 

2, For the risJc. When an owner parts 



OF LOANS OF PROPEltTT. 1 37 

\vith his property, in some cases, it is much 
more certain that he shall receive it back 
miinjured, than in others. The risk in loan- 
ing a farm, is less than in loaning a ship. 
The risk of loaning a house, is less than in 
loaning a horse. As this risk is greater or 
less, the remuneration is justly increased or 
diminished. Hence the price of a loan is al- 
ways to be adjusted in view of these two 
circumstances. 

Loans are of two kinds. 1st, loans of 
money, and 2d, loans of other property. 

The loan of money, 1. The lender is 
bound to demand no more than a fair remu- 
neration for the use of his capital, and for the 
risk to which it is exposed. 

2. He is bound to make use of no unlaw- 
ful means to influence the decision of the 
borrower. The principles here, are the same 
as govern in the permanent exchange of pro-* 
perty. 

3. The borrower is bound to pay a just 
equivalent, as I have stated above ; and he is 
equally forbidden to use any dishonest motives 
to influence the decision of the lender. 

4. Inasmuch as the risk of the property is 
one part of the consideration, for which the 
owner receives remuneration, the borrower 
has no right to expose the property of anoth- 

12* 



138 O^ LOANS OF PROPERl^f. 

er to any risk not contemplated in the con-^ 
tract. HencCj he has no right to invest it in 
a more hazardous trade ^ nor has he a right to 
employ it in a more hazardous speculation ; 
and, if he does, he is using it in a manner for 
which he has paid no equivalent. He is also 
under obligation to take all the care to avoid 
losses, which he would take if the property 
were his own ; and to use the same skill to 
conduct his affairs successfully. 

5. He is also bound to repay the loan ex- 
actly, according to the terms specified in the 
contract. This requires that he pay the full 
sum promised, and that he pay it precisely at 
the time promised. A failure in either case is 
a breach of the contract. 

The question is often asked, whether a debt- 
or is morally liberated by an act of insolvency. 
I think not, if he ever afterwards have the 
means of payment. It may be said, this is 
oppressive to debtors ; but we ask, is not the 
contrary principle oppressive to creditors ; 
and are not the rights of one party just as 
valuable, and just as much rights^ as those of 
the other. 



t^ LOANS '0:^ ]piioi»ERTir. 139 



t)F THE LOAN OF OTHER PROPERTY, 

The principles which apply in this case are 
very similar to those which have been already 
stated. 

1. The lender is bound to furnish an arti*' 
€le, which, so far as he knows^ is adapted to 
the purposes of the borrower. That is, if the 
thing borrowed has any internal defect, he is 
bound to reveal it. If I loan a horse, to a man 
who wishes to ride forty miles to day, while I 
know he is able to go but thirty, it is a fraud* 
If I let to a man a house, which I know to be in 
the neighborhood of a nuisance ; or to be, in 
part, uninhabitable, from smoky chimneys, and 
do not inform him, it is fraud. The loss in 
the value of the property is mine, and I have 
no light to transfer it to another. 

2. So, the lender has a right to charge the 
market price arising from the considerations 
of use, risk, and variation in supply and de- 
mand. This depends upon the same princi- 
ples as those already explained. 

3. The borrower is bound to take the same 
care of the property of another, as he would 
of his own, to put it to no risk different from 
that specified or understood in the contract^ 
^and to pay the price upon the principle stated 



140 LOAI^ OF fHOPERTPY. 

above. Neither party has any right to inflii-*^ 
ence the other, by any motives extraneous to 
the simple business of the transfer. 

4. The borrower is bound to return the 
property loaned , precisely according to the 
contract. This includes time and condition^ 
He must return it at the time specified, and in 
the condition in which he received it, ordinary 
wear and tear only excepted. If I hire a house 
for a year, and so damage its paper and painty 
that, before it can be let again, it will cost half the 
price of the rent to put it in repair, it is a gross 
fraud. It is just as immoral as to pay the 
whole, and then pick the owner's pocket of 
the half of what he had received. 

The important question arises here, if a loss 
happen while the property is in the hands of 
the borrower, on whom shall it fall. The 
principle I suppose to be this. 

1 . If it happen v/hile the property is sub- 
ject to the use specified in the contract, the 
owner bears it ; because, it is to be supposed 
that he foresaw the risk, and received remu- 
neration for it. 

2. If the loss happen in consequence of any 
use not contemplated in the contract, then the 
borrower suffers it. If a horse die while t am 
using it well, and for the purpose specified, the 
owner suifers. If it die by careless drivings 



OF INSURANCE. 141 

I suffer the loss. He is bound to furnish a 
good horse, and I, a competent driver. 

3. So, on the contrary, if a gain arise un- 
expectedly. If this gain was one which was 
contemplated in the contract, it belongs to the 
borrower. If not, he has no equitable claim 
to it. If I hire a farm, I am entitled, without 
any additional charge for rent, to all the ad- 
vantages arising from the rise in the price of 
wheat, or from my own skill in agriculture. 
But if a mine of coal be discovered on the 
farm, I have no right to the benefit of working 
it ; for I did not hire the farm for this purpose* 

OF INSURANCE. 

There is always a liability that property 
may be lost ; as by fire, or by storm and tem- 
pest. This Hability is called risk. When one 
man insures for another, he agrees, for a given 
sum, to bear this risk. Thus, my house is li- 
able to take fire. My neighbor says, if you 
will give me twenty dollars a year, I will pay 
you the value of your house if it burns down. 
Or, if I am going to send a ship to China, or 
any where else, I pay a certain sum to the in- 
surer, and he agrees to pay me for the ship, 
if it is cast away or lost. This is called in- 
surance. When men unite together to insure 



142 QUESTIONS. 

houses or vessels, this is called an insurance 
company. He who insures another's property 
is called an underwriter. 

The rule, in this case, is simple. The in- 
sured is bound, fully to reveal to the insurer^ 
every circumstance within his knowledge, 
which could in any measure affect the value of 
the risk — that is to say, the property must be, 
so far as he knows, what it purports to be, and 
the risks none other than such as he reveals 
them. If he expose the property to other 
risks, the insurance is void ; and the under- 
writer, if the property is lost, refuses to remu- 
nerate him ; and if it be safe, he returns the 
premium. If the loss occur within the terms 
of the policy, the insurer is bound fully and 
faithfully to make remuneration, precisely ac- 
cording to the terms of the contract. 

As to the rate of insurance, very little need 
be said. It varies with every risk, and is made 
up of so many conflicting circumstances, that it 
must be agreed upon by the parties themselves* 



Questions. 

1. Illustrate in your own language, what 
you mean by interest. Give an example. 

2. Show by an example, first, what you 
mean by paying for use, and second, what you 
mean by paying for rishl 



QUESTIONS. 143 

3. Suppose you had two houses, and you 
rented one for a dwelling house, and the other 
for a house to keep gunpowder in ; for which 
would you charge the greatest rent ? Why ? 

4. Suppose a man was very much in need 
of money ; why might you not charge him 
twice as much as another man, under the same 
circumstances ? 

5. Why might 1 not raise a report of a dec- 
laration of a foreign war, to raise the interest 
of money, so that I might in a given case get 
more for it ? 

6. Suppose I horrow money to build a house, 
at a given rate of interest, the house being the 
lender's security ; why might I not build a ship 
with it ? 

7. Suppose I borrow money of a man, and 
promise to pay him to»morrow. If I pay him 
on the next day, is this strictly honest ? 

8. If I owe money, and the laws do not 
oblige me to pay it ; am I, or not, bound to pay 
it notwithstanding ? 

9. Suppose I loan to a customer a chaise, 
which is likely to break down on his journey, 
is this honest? Why ? 

10. Suppose I hire a horse, and drive him 
so carelessly, that he is fairly hable to injury ; 
is this honest? Why ? 

11. Are people generally as careful of 



144 OF EXCHANGES. 

hired property^ as they are of their own ? Is 
this honest ? 

12. Suppose I hire a horse to go five miles^ 
and drive liim ten, and he is injured, who bears 
the loss ? 

13. Suppose I hire a horse to drive in a 
ehaise, and I use him in a plough,, and he is 
injured, who bears the loss I 

14. If I hire a house for a year, and a new 
street is opened, which renders it of twice the 
value, before the close of the year, am 1 obliged 
to pay more rent ? 

15. Suppose you wanted to have your house 
insured, what would you do ? 

16. Suppose you knew your house was^ 
likely to be struck with Kgbtning, ought you 
to mention it ? 

17. After it is insured, if you were to be 
careless about fire, would this be right ? Why I 



Section V. 

Of exchanges when the Equivalent is imma- 
terial 

The case to be considered here, is that of 
master and servant. 

One man frequently needs the services of 



OF EXCHANGE. 145 

another. Sometimes, be needs assistance in 
performing the labors of the family ; at others 
he needs workmen to perform the labors of his 
trade, or occupation. Here is a given kind of 
labor to be done, and for this labor, he pro- 
poses to give an equivalent. The exchange 
agreed upon is, a given amount of service, on 
the one hand, and a given amount of money on 
the other. There is dishonesty, if either par- 
ty, either demand an unreasonable equivalent 
from the other, or, if, after the equivalent has 
been agreed upon, he do not fulfil his agiee- 
ment. 

1. The master is bound to allow the servant 
a fair remuneration for his labor. As, low- 
ever, this would vary so much in different in- 
stances, it is generally agreed upon before- 
hand, by the parties. In this case, as in e\ery 
other of barter, both parties are forbidden to 
take advantage of the hopes or fears of each 
other ; or to accomplish the exchange, by means 
of any influence unduly exerted. 

Wiiateve/ the master has agreed to pay, he 
is bound to pay, fully and punctually. There 
can be no moi-e aggravated case of injustice, 
than to delay payment to the poor and labori- 
ous, because they have not the means of en- 
forcing payment by law, or by the excitation 
of public opinion. 

13 



146 OF EXCHANdE. 

Thus saith the Scriptures, ^' the hire of your 
laborers, who have reaped your fields, that m 
Jcept back by fraud, crieth ; and the cry h 
come into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth," 

And, lastly, the master is bound to require 
of the servant no more service than that which 
is, by both parties, understood in the agree- 
ment ; and is bound to have respect to the 
bodily health and moral wants of those under 
his charge. It is wicked to urge human be- 
ings to labor beyond their powder of physical 
ability, or to such an extent as to deprive them 
of the means of religious improvement. Yet, 
it is to be remarked, that when such ens^ao^e- 
ments are made, they frequently proceed as 
much from the avarice of the employed, as 
the employer. The blame, in this case, is to 
be shared between them. 

2. On the other hand, the servant is bound 
to perform the service which lie agreed to ren- 
der, according to the spirit of the agreement. 
If he employ that time, which he has agreed 
to spend for the benefit of another, in idleness, 
in useless conversation, or in any thing else than 
the duty required, he is guilty of dishonesty, 
as much as if he stole. It is as fraudulent for 
him to receive money for what he has not 
done, as, for the master, to keep back the 
money, which the other has fairly earned. 



OF EXCHANGE. 14T 

And, again, as the master employs, not only 
the body, but the mind and intelligence of the 
servant ; the servant is bound to use his best 
discretion to promote the interest of his mas- 
ter. If, for want of this, the property of his 
employer is injured, it is injured by a viola- 
tion of the contract, and the servant otight to 
bear the loss. 

Such are the principles, which should reg- 
ulate the fulfilment of contracts of this sort, 
so far as simple equity is concerned. The 
benevolence of the gospel, would, however, 
teach us something more. It would teach 
both parties, to regard each other as placed in 
a situation, in which a special opportunity is 
offered for rendering good offices, and mani- 
festing kindness. This would lead the master 
to render the condition of the servant as hap- 
py as it was in his power, without regard to 
the mere articles of the agreement ; and the 
servant, to watch over the interests committed 
to his charge, with a care, which could not be 
specified in the terms of any contract. Thus, 
there would be on both sides, the constant re- 
ciprocation of gratuitous kindness and good 
will ; by which, the character of both would 
he elevated, and the happiness of both great- 
ly promoted. 

There exists in this country, a very useless 



148 QUESTIONS. 

dislike to the terms master and servant. Ev- 
ery one who hires the services of another, is^ 
in so far, a master ; and every one whose ser- 
vices are hired, is, in so far, a servant. Every 
one, is, therefore, in various respects, both 
master and servant. Why then should the 
terms, which designate this relatian be odious. 
The honor is not in being eitlier master or 
servant, but in per^rming the duties of either 
relation well ; and the dishonor belongs to 
neither, but to the neglect of the duties^ 
which the nature of the station imposes. 



Questions. 

1. Why does every man need servants, at 
some time or other ? 

2. What principle should govern both par-- 
ties, in making an agreement i 

3. Ought we to be moi^e or less careful, in 
fulfilling our engagements with the poor, than 
with the rich ? Why ? 

4. Suppose an employer agrees with a man 
to labor for him eighteen hours a day; and 
the man insists upon being so employed ; who 
is to blame? 

5. Suppose a workman labors but six hours 
a day ; has he a right to demand as much as 
if he labored ten hours. 



x^UESTlONS. 149 

6. Suppose you were employed by the day, 
and were sent on an errand, and you stopped 
at the corner of every street to talk over the 
news ; would this be honest ? Why ? 

7. What would your services be worth, if 
you spent all your time thus ? 

8. Suppose you were employed to make a 
table, and by carelessness and neghgence, 
spoiled it ; who ought to bear the loss ? 

9. Ought any principles to influence us in 
the relation of master and servant, besides the 
terms of the contract ? 

10. Is there any thing honorable in being a 
master, or dishonorable in being a servant ? 

11. For what cause ought we to respect 
men ? 13 "^ 



CHAPTER IV. 



OF CHARACTER. 



When we are asked what is the character 
of another^ we give our opinion of his pres- 
ent state, as it regards mind, acquisitions, ca- 
pacities, moral principles, and moral habits. 
This we call the character of the man. We 
say that he has such or such a talent, such or 
such principles, and such or such defects or 
excellencies. 

Now, it is manifest, that a good character is 
the most valuable of all that a man possesses. 
It is the source of all his present happiness ; 
and the only ground of reasonable hope, for 
his happiness in the future. 

Hence, reason would teach us, that the 
greatest benefit which we could confer upon 
another, would be, to improve his character; 
that is, to render him better ; and the greatest 
injury, which we could inflict upon him, 
would be, to injure his character, that is, to 
make him worse. 

The law of reciprocity, forbids us, on any 
pretence, or in any manner, to injure the 



OF CHAKACTER. 151 

character' of another, that is, to make him 
worse. 

The most solemn threatenings in the Scrip- 
tures, are uttered against those, who shall be 
the means of corrupting others. ^'Whosoev- 
er shall break the least of these command- 
ments, and shall teach men so, shall be called 
the least in the kingdom of heaven." In the 
Old Testament, Jeroboam is mentioned as 
atrociously wicked, because '^ he made Israel 
to sinJ'^ Where God is represented as exe- 
cuting his fiercest displeasure upon Babylon, 
it is because she '^ did corrupt the earth 
\V\ih. her wickedness." The woe denounced 
against the Pharisees, in the time of our 
Lord, is '' because ye compass sea and land to 
make one proselyte ; and when he is made, 
ye make him tenfold more the child of hell 
than yourselves. 

We may injure the character of others in 
several ways. 

1. By weakening their moral restraints. 
Religious principle is the great restraint 
against vice. He who does any thing to 
diminish the power of religious motives, by 
speaking hghtly of religion, by profanity, or 
sabbath breaking, by ridiculing the Scriptures, 
or their doctrines, or by encouraging disobedi- 
ence to parents, is guilty of this crime. 



15S OF CHAHACTEft. 

2. By exciting the wicked passions of men. 
He is guilty of this crime, who pubhshes or 
circulates wicked books or pictures, or who 
by wicked conversation, fills the mind with 
wicked thoughts. The same is true of him 
who teazes others, and excites their anger, or 
provokes them to malice and revenge ; for, in 
this manner, we render others bad tempered 
and vicious. 

3. Another mode in which we are guilty of 
this crime is, by ministering to the wicked ap- 
petites of men. Those are thus guilty, who 
teach others to drink spirituous Uquors, or en- 
tice them to drink, or set drink before them. 
It is melancholy to pass through the streets of 
a large city, and observe how many persons 
are obtaining their livelihood, by pampering 
the appetites of the young, and cultivating 
those habits which must lead, in the end, to 
profligacy and vice. 

We are, then, always to remember, that no 
words or actions, or conduct or writing, or oc- 
cupation can be innocent, of which the natur- 
al tendency is, to render others worse, that is, 
to injure their moral character. 



QUESTIONS. 153 

Questions. 

1. Explain, in your own language, what 
you mean by the character of a man ? 

2. What is the benefit of a good character? 
What the evil of a bad character ? 

3. What influence can we exert on the 
character of others? Explain how. 

4. What influence ought we to exert upon 
the character of others? Give an example. 

5. Does God hold us accountable for the 
influence which w^e exert on the character of 
others? 

6. Suppose a boy should persuade another 
to break the sabbath ; of what crimes would 
he be guilty ? 

7. Suppose a boy should teach another to 
speak disrespectfully of his parents ; of w^hat 
crimes would he be guilty ? 

8. Suppose a boy should teach another to 
swear; of what crimes w^ould he be guilty? 

9. Suppose a boy should teaze and plague 
another, so as to make him very angry ; of 
what crime would he be guihy ? 

10. Suppose you should make a child 
drunk, to have some fun with him ; of what 
crime would you be guilty ? 

IL Suppose you^ by example or con versa- 



154 QUESTIONS. 

tion, lead any one to do wrong ; of what crime 
are you guilty. 

12. How do we know that God will punish 
such conduct most severely ? 

13. If we find that our companions wish to 
persuade us to do wrong ; what ought we 
to do? 

14. Who are our worst enemies ? 



CHAPTER V. 



OF REPUTATION. 



We have, in the preceding chapters, spok- 
en of character. It is obvious, that character^ 
of what sort soever it be, produces, as a nat- 
ural residt, a certain general opinion respect- 
ing us, among men. Thus, if a man always 
tell the truth, men will form the opinion of 
him, that he will tell the truth ; that is, he 
\vill have a reputation for veracity. If he be 
always honest, m.en will have a corresponding 
opinion of him ; that is, he will have a repu- 
tation for integrity, and so of any other case. 

Now this estimation in which a man is held, 
is a very valuable possession. The prospects 
of every man depend upon his reputation. 
Who will employ another who has the repu- 
tation of being a liar and a thief? And 
hence, to injure the reputation of another, is 
to inflict upon him the greatest injustice, and 
to do him the most irreparable harm. We 
have no more right to take away the estima- 
tion in which a man is held, than to take away 
his money. Nor have we a right to do this^ 



156 OF REPUTATION. 

even if he have more estimation than he de« 
serves. Suppose a man have come by his 
money, dishonestly, this gives us no right lo 
pick his pockets, or to interfere with him in 
any way, unless we are authorised by law to 
do so. So, v^e have no right to diminish the 
reputation of another, even if it be more than 
he deserves, unless there be a definite and just 
cause for so doing. 

The precepts of the Bible on this subject 
are such as these. " Judge not, that ye be 
not judged ; for with what measure ye mete, 
it shall be measured to you again." '^ And 
why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy 
brother's eye, and considerest not the beam 
that is in thine own eye." 

'^ Let all bitterness and wrath and clamor 
and evil speaking be put away from you." 

'^ Speak evil of no man." '' Speak not 
evil one of another." 

" He that will love life and see good days, 
let him keep his tongue from evil." 

We shall proceed to consider, first, the ca- 
ses in which we are forbidden ; and second, 
those in which we are not forbidden to utter 
injurious truth. I do not consider the cases 
in which we utter iniarious falsehood, because 
here, the crime of lying, wljich will be treat- 
ed of in another place, is added to that of 
slander* 



OF REPUTATION. 1 5T 

1. We are forbiddea to give publicity to 
the bad actions of men, without adequate 
cause. We always do this without causCj 
when we tell of the evil deeds of others 
without any cause, or, for the sake of gratify- 
ing idle curiosity, or from love of talking, or 
from envy, or malice, or revenge. 

2. We are forbidden to utter general con- 
clusions respecting the characters of men, 
founded on particular bad actions, which they 
may be known to have committed. Who 
would wish his whole reputation to be decided 
by a single action ? A sin^^le iUiberal act, no 
more proves a man to be covetous, than a sin- 
gle charitable act, proves him to be benevo- 
lent. How unjust therefore, to proclaim a 
man destitute of all virtue, on account of one 
failure in virtue. 

3. We are forbidden to judge, that is, to 
assign unnecessarily bad motives, to the ac- 
tions of men. I say unnecessarily bad mo- 
t!\^es. for, some actions are such, that to pre- 
sun e a good motive is impossible. Yet even 
heie, it is safe, simply to state the fact, when 
it is ne3essary to state it, and leave every one 
to judge of the motive for himself. 

This rule would teach us first, to presume 
no unworthy motive, where the action is sus- 
ceptible of an innocent one ; and secondly, 
14 



158 OF REPUTATION* 

never to ascribe to an action which we confess 
to be good, any other motive, than that, from 
which it professes to proceed. The reasona- 
bleness of this is obvious, if we apply it to 
our own case. Is there any other rule, by 
which we would wish our own actions to be 
estimated. 

4. We are forbidden to lessen the estima- 
tion in which others are held, by mimicry, 
ridicule, calling of names, giving opprobrious 
epithets, or any other means by which they 
are brought into contempt. It is no excuse 
to say ive do not mean any harm. We know 
that it does harm, and this is enough to render 
us guilty. Both old and young persons would 
converse very differently, if they were to re- 
member the saying of Scripture, by thy 
words thou shalt be justified, and by thy 
words shalt thou be condemned ; and that for 
every idle word that men speak, they shall 
give account in the day of judgment. It is 
well said by Bishop Wilson, " We should 
never hear with pleasure, and never repeat, 
such things as may dishonor God, hurt our 
own character, or injure our neighbor." 

We come next to speak of the cases 
in which we are not forbidden to speak inju- 
rious truth of our neighbor. These are, 

1. To promote the ends of public justice. 



OF REPUTATION. 159 

He who conceals a crime against society, ren- 
ders himself a parly to the offence. We are 
bound, here, to speak of it to the proper civil 
officer, in order that the offender may be 
brought to trial and punishment. 

2. To protect the innocent. When we 
know" of certain facts in a man's history, 
which, if known to a third person, would pro- 
tect him from important injury, it is our duly 
to pui such person on his guard. What is 
required here is, that I assert what I know to 
be the fact, and this only ; and that I do it for 
the purpose specified. 

3. For the good of the offender himself. 
When we know of the evil actions of another, 
and there is some other person, as for instance 
a parent or guardian, who is ignorant of them, 
but, who might, by control or advice, be the 
means of reforming the offender ; it is our du- 
ty always to give the necessary information. 
This is the greatest kindness that can be 
shown to both parties, and it is a kindness, for 
the w^ant of which, multitudes of children are 
ruined. There can be no greater act of 
friendship, and none for which a parent should 
be more grateful, than for that confidence, 
which would put him in possession of any 
knowledge of this sort, which could be of ad 
vantage to his child. 



160 QUESTIONS. 

4. Though we may not be at liberty to 
make public the evil actions of others, we are 
under no obligations to act towards the offen- 
der as though he were Innocent. If the pro- 
vidence of God have put this knowledge in 
our possession, we are at liberty to use it, 
each one for himself. We may and ouii;ht to 
shun the company of a wicked man, although 
we are the only persons who know of his 
crime. 



Questions. 

1. What is the difference between charac- 
ter and reputation? Give an example. 

2. Give an example, to show the value of 
a good reputation, and the injury of a bad 
one. 

3. Explain, in your own language, why a 
man's reputation is as much his own, as his 
property. 

4. Why should not two persons sit down 
together, and talk over all the evil they know 
of, respecting their neighbors ? 

5. Suppose I know a man in a single in- 
stance to have been in a passion ; have I 
a right to conclude that he is passionate ? 
Why? 

6. Have I a right to publish that he is a 



qUIi^TION^. 161 

passionate man ? Have I a right to deny him 
any other good quahty, supposing he be real- 
ly passionate ? 

7. Suppose I know a man to be liberal ; 
have I a right to say that he does it from os- 
tentation ? 

8. Suppose a man refuses me charity ; have 
I a rio-ht to sav that he does it from covetous- 
ness ? Why ? 

9. What harm is there in mimicking and 
making sport of others^ whether present or 
absent ? 

10. Suppose I know that a man has stolen 
a horse ; have I a right to keep it a secret ? 

11. Suppose I know a man to violate any 
important law of society ; am 1 obliged keep 
it a secret ? 

12. If I speak of it at all, to whom am I 
bound to tell it ? 

13. Suppose I know a man to be dishonest, 
and could prove it, and he were about to 
form a copartnership with a friend of mine, 
whom I knew he would cheat, if he could ; 
what would be my duty in such a case ? 

14. Suppose I told the facts to my friend, 
ought I to tell them, to everybody ? 

15. What would distinguish such a case 
from slander ? 

16. Suppose I knew a child to swear, or 

14 ^ 



162 QUESTIONS. 

liej or stealj or use bad language ; would it be 
slander for me to inform his parents of his 
conduct, if I supposed they did not know of it? 

17. Would it be proper for me to spread it 
about, and tell other persons of it ? 

18. When we make known the evil actions 
of others, what is the motive which must gov- 
ern us, in order to render our conduct inno- 
cent? 

19. If we know a person to be wicked, 
though we may not talk about it, is there any 
thing else that we are bound to do ? 



CHAPTER VL 



OF VERACITY. 



Veracity consists in telling the truth, with 
the intention to do so. 

Telling the truth, may have respect to 
something which we assert to have been done, 
or to be now doing ; as when we assert tliat 
it rained yesterday, or that it rains now ; or, 
it may have respect to something which we 
declare we intend to do ; as, when we prom- 
ise that we will give a person a dollar to-mor- 
row. 

The intention is always to be taken into 
view, when we speak of the moral guilt or in- 
nocence af an assertion. If a person honest- 
ly means to tell the truth, he is innocent of 
the crime of lying, though he may be in er- 
ror. If lie mean to deceive, he is guilty, 
even although what he utters, may be, in fact, 
true. 

Veracity will therefore be considered under 
two headb. I. Assertions. 2. Promises. 



164 

Section L 

Of Assertions. 

The law of veracity requires, in this respect, 
that when we make an assertion respecting 
any fact, we convey to another person pre- 
cisely the idea which exists in our own minds ; 
in other words, that we state the fact, just as 
we believe it to have existed. 

The Scripture precepts on this subject are 
such as the following : 

Ex. XX. 16. Thou shalt not bear false 
witness against thy neighbor. 

Prov. vi. 16. Lying lips are an abomina- 
tion to the Lord. 

Ps. xxxiv. 13. Keep thy tongue from 
evil, and thy lips that they speak no guile. 

John viii. 44. Those that speak lies are 
called '^ children of the devil ; " that is, fol- 
lowers, or imitators of the actions of the devil. 

Rev. xxi, 8. All liars shall have their 
portion in the lake that burneth with fire and 
brimstone. 

27. There shall in now^ise enter therein, 
(into heaven) any thing that maketh a lie. 

As illustrations of the indignation of God 



OF VERACITY. 165 

against the sin of lying, see the case of Geha- 
zi. 2 Kings, v. 20—7. And of Ananias and 
Sappiiira. Acts v. 

The law of veracity forbids, therefore, 

1. The utterance, as truths, of what we 
know to be false. This is always the case, 
when we speak under any circumstances, with 
the intention to deceive. 

2. Uttering, as truth, what we do not know 
to be true. When we utter any thing as truth, 
which we do not know to be true, we do not 
convey to another, the impression which exists 
in our own mind ; that is, we speak falsely. 
It is a foolish subterfuge, to say, we did not 
know but what it w^as true ; if this was all we 
knew about it, we should have said so, and not 
convey to another exactly the contrary im- 
pression. 

But, it will be said, are we never to utter 
any thing but what we know to be true ; are 
we never to give an opinion ? Doubtless, we 
may ; but then it must be given as an opinion, 
and not as the truth. 

3. Uttering what may be true, but, uttering 
it in such a manner, or under such circumstan- 
ces, ns shall convey a false impression to others. 

We may do this in several ways ; as, for in- 
stance. 



166 OF VERACITY. 

1 . By exaggerating some of the circumstan- 
ces. 

2. By extenuating some of the circumstan- 
ces. 

3. By exaggerating some of the circum- 
stances, and extenuating others. 

4. By stating the facts as they existed, but 
combining them in such a manner, as to leave 
a false impression upon the hearer. If I say 
A entered B's room, and immediately after he 
left it, B discovered that a watch had been 
stolen, I naturally leave the impression that A 
was the thief. If I say this with the inten- 
tion of producing a false impression, though I 
do not assert any thing but the fact, I am guil- 
ty of falsehood. 

4. As the crime of falsehood consists in 
making, intentionally, a false impression upon 
another, we may incur as much guilt by the 
tones of the voice, look of the eye, a motion 
of the head, or a gesture of the body, as by 
words. If a traveller asks me which road 
leads to Boston, and I point to him in the 
wrong direction, it is as much a lie, as though 
I conveyed the same impression by words. 

5. This law applies to our intercourse with 
men under all the relations of life. It forbids 
parents to lie to children^ and children to he to 



OF VERACITY. 167 

parents, instructors to pupils, and pupils to 
instructors, the old to the young, and the 
young to each other, buyers to sellers, and 
sellers to buyers, politicians to their own par- 
ty, and to the opposite party ; in a word, the 
obligation is universal, and cannot be set aside 
by any, either of the natural or artificial rela- 
tions, in which men may stand to each other. 

It is no excuse for falsehood, to say that the 
person to whom we are speaking, has no right 
to know the truth. This is a reason why we 
should not tell the truths but it is no reason 
why w^e should tell a falsehood. If a man 
has no just claim upon us, this is a reason why 
we should not pay his demand, it is no reason 
at all, why we should cheat him. 

The importance of cultivating a strict re- 
gard for truth is absolutely incalculable. Hence, 
the evil of speaking falsely, in jest, or of ex- 
aggerating the facts of a story, for the sake of 
amusement or effect. He who allows him- 
self to lie, in jest, w^ill soon find himself lying 
in earnest, and will become an habitual liar. 
Let every one, therefore, in the most trivial 
cases, observe the most strict and scrupulous 
veracity, and he wall find that by the cultiva- 
tion of no one virtue, will he gain more moral 
power over himself, or gain more control over 
the actions of others. 



168 QUESTIONS. 

If such be the fact, we see how wicked it 
must be to teach others to he. This is some- 
times done by parents and nurses, who tell 
stories to frighten children, for the sake of ac- 
complishing some momentary purpose. It is 
also done by those, who direct their children 
or servants to tell their visitors that they are 
not at home, when they are at home, but do 
not wish to be interrupted. The case is the 
same, when merchants direct their clerks, to 
assure a customer that their goods were bought 
for one price, when they were bought for 
another. How can such persons answer to 
God for the ruin which they are preparing for 
those committed to their charge. And, how 
can they expect that the truth will be told to 
them, by those whom they have deliberately 
tau^^ht to lie ? 



Questions. 

1. Give an example of what you mean by 
telling the tjuth. 

2. Give an example of a person's telling 
what was not true, and yet not be guilty of 
lying. 

3. Give an example of a person's telling 
what Vvas true, and yet be guilty of lying. 

4. Why should veracity be divided into as- 
sertions and promises ? 



QUESTIONS. 169 

5. How shall we know when we make an 
assertion, that we are innocent of the guilt of 
lying ? 

6. Repeat the case of Gehazi in your own 
language. 

7. Repeat the case of Ananias and Sap- 
phira. 

8. What do we learn from these cases ? 

9. Can we intentionally deceive another 
without being guilty of falsehood ? 

10. Why is it falsehood to tell a thing, of 
which we do not know but it is true ? Give an 
example of this form of falsehood. 

11. Give an example of a falsehood by 
exaggeration. 

12. Give an example of a falsehood by ex- 
tenuation. 

13. Give an example of both of these 
combined. 

14. Give an example of facts, told as they 
existed, but so combined, that they produce 
the impression of a falsehood. 

15. Give an example of a lie, vv^here not a 
word is spoken. 

16. Suppose several boys in a school, should 
agree to lie to an instructor; would this be 
as wicked, as for the instructor to lie to his 
pupils ? 

15 



170 PROMISES AND CONTRACTS. 

17. Does it make a lie any better, for sev- 
eral persons to agree together to tell it ? 

18. Does a lie become less guilty, because 
people get in the habit of lying ? 

10. Is it any harm to he in jest? What is 
the consequence of so doing ? 

20. Suppose any person should command 
you to tell a lie ; ought you to do it? 

21. Suppose any person should command 
you to tell a lie, and you should do it ; would 
the command excuse you, in the sight of God ? 



Section II. 
Of Promises and Contracts. 

i. Of promises. 

A promise is the expression of our inten- 
tion, in such manner, as, voluntarily, to create 
an expectation on the part of another. 

The law of veracity demands, that we ex- 
press the intention, exactly as it exists in our 
own minds. We either, in fact, have the inten- 
tion, or we have it not ; and we are no more at 
liberty to lie about this fact, than about any 
other. 

Having expressed this intention, in such 
manner as to create an expectation, on the part 



PROMISES AND CONTRACTS. 171 

of another, we are under obligation to fulfil it. 
In other words, a promise is binding, in the 
sense in which the promiser knows that the 
promisee receives it ; that is, we are bound to 
fulfil the expectations which we have volunta- 
rily created. 

Promises are not binding, therefore, in the 
way that the promiser means them to be re- 
ceived, for he might mean one thing and say 
another ; nor in the way that the promisee 
understands them, for then there would be 
no limit to the extravagant expectations of 
men. The obligation consists in having vol- 
untarily created expectation, and by this ex- 
pectation we are bound. 

Hence, as in the case of assertions, we may 
promise by actions, or gestures, or looks, as 
much as by words. He, who, at an auction, 
nods to an auctioneer, when that nod is under- 
stood to signify a bid, is as much bound as 
though he made a bid by words. The case 
is the same, when in any other way, or by any 
course of action, we voluntarily excite expec- 
tation. 

It may be proper here, however, to men- 
tion a few of the cases, in which promises are 
not binding. 

1 . When the performance is impossible. 
We cannot be under obligation to do what 



172 PROMISES AND CONTRACTS. 

turns out to be, absolutely, out of our power. 
If, however, we know of this impossibility 
before-hand, we are guilty of lying and fraud, 
and are bound to make good the disappoint- 
ment, to the other party. 

2. When the performance is unlawful. We 
cannot be under obligation to do, what, we are 
also under a contrary obligation, to leave un- 
done. If, however, we know, or might have 
known, of the unlawfulness before the promise, 
and the other party did not know it, we are 
guilty of deception, and are bound to make 
good the disappointment. When the other 
party knew of the unlawfulness of the act we 
are not thus bound. If I agree to unite with 
another person in a robbery, I am bound to 
break my promise, but surely am under no 
obligations to pay him the amount of what he 
might have gained by the crime. 

3. Promises are not binding, when no ex- 
pectation is voluntarily excited. If A inform 
B, that he shall give a horse to C, not intend- 
ing that B shall communicate it, and, if B 
communicate it without A's knowledge, A is 
not bound. If A desire B to inform C of it, 
he is as much bound as though he communica- 
ted it himself. 

4. Promises are not binding, when they are 
known by both parties to proceed upon a con-- 



PROMISES AND CONTRACT^. 173 

dition, which subsequently, turns out to be 
false. If [ promise a beggar money, on the 
ground of his story, which turns out to be a 
fabrication, I am not bound by such promise. 

These are the principal cases in which 
promises are not binding. The inconvenience 
which may result from fulfilling a promise, is 
not a release. No man ever need promise 
unless he please, but having once promised, he 
is bound, unless he be morally liberated, 
until the promise is fulfilled. Hence, men 
should be extremely cautious in making prom- 
ises ; and they should never be made without 
allowing ourselves sufficient opportunity for 
reflection. And I believe it will generally be 
found, that those who are most careful in 
promising, are most conscientious in perform- 
ing. 

ii. Of contracts. 

A contract is a mutual promise; that is, we 
promise to do one thing on the condition that 
another party does something else. 

The rules for the interpretation of a con- 
tract, the reasons for its obligatoriness, and the 
cases of exception are the same as those of 
promises, the only difference is, that, in this case, 
there is a specific condition annexed, by which 
the obligations of the parties are limited and 
defined. 

15* 



174 PROMISES AND CONTRACTS. 

Hence, after a contract is made, so long as 
the other party performs his part, we are un- 
der obhgation to perform our part. But, if 
either party fail, the other, is, by the failure of 
a condition necessary to the contract, liberated. 
And still more, the party which fails, is ordi- 
narily, under obhgation to make good the dam- 
ages which may have been suffered by his 
failure. 

This is the general rule. There is, how^ev- 
er, an exception, which it is important to no- 
tice. There are some contracts entere'd into, 
in which, the terms of the engagement are 
fixed by the law of our Creator. Such, for 
instance, are the contracts of marriage, and of 
civil society. In such cases, either party is 
not liberated by every failure of the other par- 
ty, but only for such cause, as God has allow- 
ed. 

It is proper to remark, that the obligation to 
veracity is the same, whether the engagement 
be entered into between individuals or socie- 
ties. The latter are as much obliged to fulfil 
their promises, as the former. A civilized peo- 
ple are as much bound by their treaties with 
an uncivilized as with a civilized people, or, 
as much as an individual with an individual. 
Every other course of conduct, under what 



QUESTIONS, 175 

pretences, soever, it may be disguised, or by 
what power soever, upheld, is as mean and 
contemptible, as it is shameless and wicked.. 



Questions, 



1 . Give an example of a promise, and ex- 
plain what it contains. 

2. What do you mean, by being bound to 
fulfil a promise ? 

3. A general, besieging a city, promised the 
garrison, that, if they would surrender, no 
blood should be shed. They surrendered, 
and, he buried them all alive. Did he keep 
his promise ? Why ? 

4. Herod promised the daughter of Hero- 
dias, that he would give her whatsoever she 
would ask« Was he bound by his promise to 
give her the head of John the Baptist ? Why ? 

5. Suppose I ask a boy who took another 
boy's knife, whether he did it, and he shakes 
his head, in such a way, that he means me to 
understand by it that he did not ; is this a lie ? 
Why? 

6. Suppose I promise to visit a man, and 



11 & qtJESTIONS. 

before the time come, have the misfortune to 
break my leg ; am I guilty of falsehood for 
not going ? Why ? 

7. I have mentioned above, the case of 
Herod. Suppose that he had actually prom- 
ised to Herodias the head of John the Baptist; 
would he have been bound to fulfil that prom- 
ise ? 

8. Suppose several persons combine to do 
an unlawful act ; are they any more under ob- 
Hgation to do it^ than if they had not combi- 
ned ? 

9. If a man told you, without leave, that 
your father was going to give you a dollar, 
would your father be obliged to do it ? 

10. If a physician has promised to visit a 
patient, would he be released from his promise 
by a storm, or by friends calling to see him? 
Why? 

11. Who are most likely to break their 
promises ? 

12. Give an instance of a contract. 

13. Suppose I promise to take you to ride, 
if you are ready at twelve o'clock to-morrow ; 
if you are not ready till a quarter after twelve, 
am I bound by my contract ? 

14. Suppose the United States should make 
tw^o treaties, one with the Indians, and the 



QUESTIONS* 177 

Other with Great Britain ; which would be the 
most obligatory ? 

15. Suppose I make two contracts; one 
with my neighbor, and the other with the 
government^ which is the most obh^atorj ? 



CHAPTER VII. 

THE DUTIES ANB RIGHTS OF PARENTS* 

The design of the parental relation; may 
be easily seen from a few obvious facts. 

1. The child comes into the world, entirely 
unprepared for the duties, which it must, in 
subsequent life, discharge. It must, in a few 
years support itself; it needs, therefore, physi-^ 
cal strength, but it is now helpless ; it is sur-^ 
rounded with blessings, which can be obtained 
only by intelligence ; but it is now ignorant ; 
it will be encompassed by temptations, which 
can only be resisted by moral culture ; but its 
moral principles are, as yet, unformed. To 
illustrate all this, by a single case. — Take any 
of the arts or professions,, and consider, how 
would an infant of a week or a year old, dis- 
charge it ; or, how he could support himself 
from starvation, by the exercise of it. 

It is manifest^ then, that the child needs 
sustenance during infancy, and a process of 
cultivation, by which he may be trained for 
the duties of subsequent life. We have all 



DUTY OF PARENTS. 179 

enjoyed this support and cultivation, or we 
should not now be alive. It is our duty to 
exercise the same care over those that come 
after us. 

Now the condition of the parent and child, 
is adapted to precisely this state of things. 
The parent has strength, wisdom, experience, 
and a disposition to use these for the welfare, 
especially, for the education of the child; and 
the child is weak, ignorant, inexperienced, 
and disposed, by nature, to rely on, and to 
confide in, the direction of the parent. 

Hence, the duties of the parent may be 
mainly comprehended under the single word 
education ; and his rights extend to every 
thing, which is, in any manner, necessary to 
the discharge of this duty. 

The duties of parents include the following 
particulars : — 

1. Support and maintenance. The parent 
is under obligation to feed and clothe his child, 
until, in the station of life which he fills, he is 
able, with suitable diligence, to support him- 
self. As to the expensiveness of this support, 
the parent must be the judge. It is unwise for 
a parent to maintain his children in habits of 
expense, either above, or much below, his 
own circumstances. The parent is also the 
natural protector of his child ; he is bound to 



180 DUTY OF PARENTS. 

guard him from harm^ and shield him from 
oppression and abuse, 

2. Physical education. Few are aware^ 
until too late^ of the importance of a healthy 
and vigorous bodily constitution. Such a consti- 
tution can only be secured by exercise ^ temper- 
ance, and care in youth. It is the duty of the 
parent, to pursue such a course of physical 
education, as shall develope all the physical 
powers of the child; to inure it to hardship^ 
and render it patient of labor. The watch- 
fulness necessary to this, will rarely be exer- 
cised, by any other person than a parent. 

3. Intellectual education. How greatly the 
happiness of an intellectual being depends 
upon mental education, it is needless to ob- 
serve. And, that the foundation of all such 
education, must be laid in youth, is evident ; 
since, when this season is past, the time of the 
individual is required to provide for his own 
support. 

Under this head, I would remark^ that the 
parent is under obligation : — 

1. So far as it is in his power, to give a 
child such an education, as is suited to his pe^ 
culiar bias and capabilities. 

2. To select such instructors, as will best 
accomplish this result. 

3. To see that the instructor does his duty ; 



DUTY OF PARENTS. 181 

^nd to encourage the child, by manifesting 
such an interest in his studies, as will stimulate 
him to all suitable effort. 

4. And, if such be the duty of the parent, 
he is under obligation to take time to do it. 
He should remember, that every man has time 
to do his duty. And he has no right to de- 
vote to business, or amusement, those hours, 
which God has set apart for the discharge of 
his duty as a parent. 

And here let me remark, that a strange 
parsimony prevails among parents, on this 
subject. They will deny themselves, to ac- 
cumulate property for their children ; and at 
the same time, will grudge a trifling expendi- 
ture, for the sake of obtaining for them that edu- 
cation, without which, their possessions will be 
a very doubtful blessing. It seems, by many 
persons, to be taken for granted, that all pla- 
ces of education are equally good, and that 
the only question to be decided is, which is 
the cheapest. And by a mere question of 
dollars, and frequently that of cents, the intel- 
lectal cultivation and habits of the child is 
decided. 

4. Moral education. 

The moral character of the man, and of 
course, the eternal destiny of the individual, 
must depend, in no small degree, upon the 
16 



182 DUTY OF PARENT'S. 

moral training of the child. This moral train- 
ing, both by precept and example, it must re- 
ceive fat the hands of its parent. For the 
manner in which it is discharged, God holds 
the parent accountable. It is therefore his 
duty ;— 

1. To teach the child his duties to God and 
to man, and to produce in its mind, a permanent 
conviction of its moral responsibility. Spe- 
cially, is this to be done, by instilling into the 
mind of the child, the principles, precepts and 
motives of the Holy Scriptures. 

2. To eradicate, so far as possible, the 
vicious propensities of the child. He should 
watch the first appearances of pride, obstinacy y 
malice, envy, revenge, cruelty, anger, lying, 
and their kindred vices; and strive to extir- 
pate them^ before they have gained firmness 
by age, or vigor by indulgence. 

3. To set before the child such an example, 
as will tend to render his instructions, in the 
highest degree, available. He, whose exam- 
ple contradicts his precept, must expect his 
children to neglect tlie precept and follow the 
example. 

4. Inasmuch as all our efforts, in this, as in 
every other case, will be f uitless, without the 
blessing of God ; a parent is under obligation 
to do all this, in prayerful dependence on the 



DUTY OF PARENTS. 183 

divine assistance. He should pray with, and 
pray for, his children. 

5. As the character of the child depends 
greatly on his associations, the parent is bound 
to watch over these, with unceasing care. He 
should suffer a child to form no intimacies, and 
place him in no situations, by which his moral 
character would be endangered » 

6. As the parent sustains to all his children 
the same relation, he is bound to conduct to- 
wards them all, with the strictest justice and 
impartiality. 

n. The rights of parents. 

The rights of parents are commensurate w' ith 
their duties. As they are responsible for the 
physical, intellectual, and moral education of 
their children ; so, they have, over them, all 
the right of physical, intellectual and mor- 
al government, necessary for the discharge of 
this responsibility. 

He has, of course, a right to direct the ex- 
penses, and the physical habits of his child ; 
the place and manner of his education, the 
kind of moral education which he shall receive ; 
the associations which he shall form ; and he 
has the right to use all reasonable means, 
for producing in the child obedience to his will. 
fie is under obligation, to use this power for 



184 DUTY OF PAKENTSV 

the good of the child, according to the best of 
his judgment and abiUty. But, if he errs, 
there is no redress, as his authority is uhi- 
mate, so long as it exists. 

These duties and rights^ however, are not 
perpetual. 

The child becomes, in process of time,, 
able to maintain itself ; to direct its own men- 
tal pursuits, and to decide for itself, on its 
moral duties and obligations. Whenever 
this takes place in fact, the relation of parent 
and child ceases, so far as the responsibility of 
the parent is concerned. This time is fixed 
by law, at the period when the child becomes 
of age, or is 21 years old. It may, however,, 
arrive before, or be delayed after, this time. 

As the rights and duties of the parents are 
absolute in infancy, and cease altogether at 
maturity ; it is natural to conclude that they 
vary within these two periods ; that is, that 
as the child grows older, the responsibilities of 
the parent become less ; and his rights less 
absolute. The education of children, should, 
I suppose, always be regulated upon this prin- 
ciple. Of the manner, however, in which 
this modification is to be carried forward, the 
parent, must, of necessity, be the judge. 

The authority of instructors is an authority 
delegated by the parent; to whom, and not to 
the child, the instructor is responsible. Hence^ 



^UESTIONS^ 185 

the relation between the parties, is essentially", 
that of parent and child. The instructor isr 
the superior, and the pupil is the inferior. The 
duties of the instructor are limited by the 
t^rms, which he and the parent have mutually 
agreed upon. His rights are always commen- 
surate with his duties ; that is, he is invested 
with power to accomplish the purpose which 
has been committed to him. Within this limit 
be has the right to command, and it is the 
duty of the pupil to obey. 



Questions. 



1. Explain, in your own language, why it 
it is, that a child needs the care and attention 
of a parent. 

2. Explain the circumstances, which render 
a parent precisely adapted, to supply the 
wants of the child. 

3. Explain, from these two considerations, 
what is, in general, the duty of a parent. 

4. Suppose children are abused, ought they 
to fight and quarrel ? What ought they to do 
if they need protection ? 

5. Would it be kind in a parent, to let a 
child grow up in idleness; to eat and drink 
what he pleased, and as much as he pleased, 

16^ 



186 ^UESflOK^^ 

and neyer teach him to do any thing by wliicfi 
to support himself? What would be the result 
of so doing ? 

6. Would it be kind in a parent to let a 
child go to school or not^ and study or not^ 
just as he pleased ? Why ? 

7. What should we think of children, who 
are displeased when their parents require them 
to take exercise and labor and study? 

8. Has a parent a right to know how his 
child behaves, and whether he is dihgent and 
studious or not ? 

10. Suppose an instructor should conceal 
such information from a parent ; what ought 
we to think of him ? 

11. Which is of the most value, a good ed- 
ucation, or a large fortune without it. 

12 Would it be right for a parent to allow 
his child to grow up without any knowledge 
of his duties to God ? Why ? 

13. When the parents converse Vv^ith them 
on these subjects, children frequently feel rest- 
less and displeased. What should we think 
of such children? 

14. Would it be kind in a parent to allow 
a child to grow up with a broken arm, and 
never try to have it healed ? 

15. Which is the greatest calamity, a brok- 
en arm, or a vicious and malicious temper, or 
the habit of lying and stealing ? Why ? 



QUESTIONS. 187 

16. Would it be kind for a parent to allow 
bis cbild to go anaong cbildren wbo had some 
infectious disease ? Why ? 

17. Which is vvorse^ to take an infectious 
disease, or to learn bad and wicked habits ? 

18. If parents are under obligation to God, 
to take such care of their children, and if they 
have such a right over them, what is the duty 
of children ? 

19. Suppose a child thinks that his parent 
is too strict ; is this any reason why he should 
not obey him ? Why ? 

20. Suppose parents and children differ on 
these subjects ; who is the most likely to be 
correct; and which has the right to govern ? 

21. Suppose one brother was 20 years old, 
and another only 3 years old, which would 
know best, about what was suitable for the 
younger ? 

22. Explain the nature of the authority of 
the instructor over the pupil. 



CHAPTER vni. 

THE DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF CHILDREN. 

The duties of children may be comprised 
under the following particulars. 

1. Obedience. By this I mean, that the 
child is under obligation to conform to the will 
of the parent, because it is his will; aside from 
the consideration that what is required may 
seem to the child wisest or best. The only 
limitation here, is, that of conscience. A 
child must obey God, rather than his parent. 
Even here, however, he has no right to re- 
sist. He must obey God, and suffer meekly 
the consequences. 

2. Children are bound to reverence ; or as 
the Scriptures enforce it, to honor their pa- 
rents. By reverence, I mean that conduct, 
and those feelings, which are due from an in- 
ferior to a superior. The child is bound to 
show respect and honor to his parents, such 
as he would show to no other persons. Nor 
in this, is there any thing degrading, but eve- 
ry thing honorable. There is nothing more 



DUTY OF CHILDREN. 189 

seemly, more ennobling, and more dignified, 
than profound filial respect. Napoleon, at the 
summit of his power, never appeared so truly 
exalted, as in the deference which he paid to 
his mother. The same principles would teach 
us universal respect for old age. 

3. Filial affection, or the affection due from 
a child to its parents, because they are his 
parents. A parent may be entitled to our 
love, because he is a man, or because he is a 
good man, but beside all this^ he is entitled to 
our special affection, because he is a parent. 
This imposes upon us the duty of always 
speaking of them with respect, seeking their 
happiness by all the means in our power, and 
of performing all this from love to them, be- 
cause they are our parents. This love will 
render such services not a burden, but a pleas- 
ure, under what circumstances soever, it may 
be in our power lo render them. 

4. It is the duty of the child, whenever it 
is, by the providence of God, rendered ne- 
cessary, to support its parents in old age« 
That man is guilty of monstrous ingratitude^ 
who would not cheerfully deny himself of lux- 
uries or conveniences, in order to minister to 
the wants of his aged and needy parents. 

Nor is this merely confined to necessary 
support. Where parents are not indigent^ 



190 DUTY OF CHILDREN. 

there are various acts of kindness and atten- 
tion and remembrance, which it is in the pow- 
er of the child to perform, which may add 
greatly to their happiness, and soften the as- 
perities of advancing old age. These oppor- 
tunities for the manifestation of filial affection, 
will be gladly sought for, by a thoughtful, 
benevolent, and obedient child. 

The precepts of the holy Scriptures in re- 
gard to this duty, are frequent and impressive. 
I subjoin a few, as examples. 

Ex. XX. 12. Honor thy father and thy 
mother, that thy days may be long in the land 
which the Lord thy God giveth thee. Tiiis, 
as the Apostle Paul remarks, Eph. vi. 2, 3, is 
the only comman(hnent in the decalogue, to 
which a special promise is annexed. 

Prov. i. 8, 9. My son, keep the instruc-^ 
tion of thy father, and forsake not the law 
of thy mother. 1 hey shall be an ornament 
of grace (that is a graceful ornament) unto 
thy head^ and chains about thy neck. 

Prov. xiii. 1. A wise son heareth his 
father's instructions, but a scorner heareth not 
rebuke. 

Eph. vi. 1. Children obey your parents in 
the Lord, for this is right. 

Col. iii, 20. Children obey your parents 



DUTY OF CHILDREN. 191 

in all things, for this is well pleasing unto the 
Lord. 

The displeasure of God is frequently de- 
nounced against those who violate th s com- 
mand. 

Dent, xxvii. 16. Cursed be he that set- 
teth light by his father or his mother ; and all 
the people shall say, amen. 

Prov. XV. 5. A fool despiseth his father's 
instructions. 

Prov. XXX. 17. The eye that mocketh at 
his father, and despiseth to obey his mother; 
the ravens of the valley shall pluck it out, and 
the young eagles sliall eat it. That is, he 
shall perish by a violent death, he shall come 
to a miserable end. 

1. From such passages as these, we learn, 
that the holy Scri})tures inculcate obedience to 
parents, as a religious duty; and, that he who 
violates it, is guilty of sin against God, as well 
as against man. The Scriptures mention diso- 
bedience to parents, as one of the offences, for 
which God is most justly ofiended with men. 

2. That obedience to parents is no proof of 
meanness and servility, but that it is every 
way honorable and delightful. It is a grace- 
ful ornament; that is, it confers additional 
beauty on what was before lovely. 



192 DUTY OF CHILDREN. 

3. That the violation of this command ex- 
poses the transgressor to special and peculiar 
judgments. And the experience of all ages has 
borne witness to the fact, that disobedience to 
parents in youth, is the common precursor to 
disgrace and misfortune in manhood and old age. 

The child has a right to expect that the 
parent will discharge to it the duties of which 
I have spoken in the preceding chapter, and 
that he will exercise his authority for its good, 
to the best of his knowledge. If, however, 
he should fail, this is no excuse for filial diso- 
bedience. The duties of the child to love 
and reverence and honor its parent, remain as 
before, since they are unchangeably appointed 
by God. 

OF THE DURATION OF THESE RIGHTS AND 
DUTIES. 

The child is under obligation to yield im- 
plicit obedience to the parent so long as he is 
in a state of pupilage ; that is, so long as the 
parent is responsible for his conduct, and the 
child is dependent on his parent. When the 
child assumes the responsibility of the care of 
himself, the obligation of obedience ceases. 
But after this, a child can find no one, whose 



DUTY OF CHILDREN. 193 

advice will be so valuable, so disinterested, 
and generally so wise, as his parents. 

The obligation to respect and affection, con- 
tinues through life, and rather increases, than 
diminishes, with advancing years. As the 
child grows older, he has it in his power to 
manifest more dehcate respect, and more sym- 
pathising affection ; and as the parent grows 
older, he feels, more sensibly, the need of atten- 
tion ; and finds his happiness to be more deci- 
dedly dependent upon it. This, then, is the 
time, to exhibit our gratitude for the care 
which our parents have taken of us in our 
childhood, and youth, and to manifest by our 
conduct our repentance for those acts of 
thoui^htlessness and w^aywardness w^hich for- 
merly have grieved them. 

I mentioned in the last chapter, that the re- 
lation of the instructor to the pupil, is, essen- 
tially, parental. 1 here add, that the relation 
of the pupil to the instructor, is essentially fil- 
ial. That is, the pupil is bound to render 
obedience to his instructor, on the same prin- 
ciples, and for the same reasons, as to his pa- 
rent. It depends on the parent to decide 
how long this relation shall subsist, but so long 
as it subsists, the duty of the pupil is obedi- 
ence, respect, and affection. 
17 



194 QUESTIONS. 



Questions. 



1. Suppose a parent should tell you to go 
on an errand, and a stranger passing by, should 
tell you not to go ; which should you be 
under obligation to obey ? Why ? 

2. Suppose any one else should tell you to 
do, what your parent had forbidden ; whom 
ought you to obey ? Why ? 

3. Suppose your parent should command 
you to disobey God, what ought you to do ? 

4. Do you ever hear children speak dis- 
respectfully of their parents? what command 
of God do they violate ? 

5. Suppose a child did what its parents 
commanded, but did not love them, nor really 
desire to please them ; w^ould this fulfil the 
command of God ? 

6. If children really love their parents, 
will it be a hardship to obey them ? 

7. Explain, in your own language, how we 
ought to treat our parents when they grow 
old. 

8. Repeat, in your own language, what the 
Holy Scriptures inculcate respecting the duties 
of children. 

9. Suppose a child disobeys his parents ; 
how many sins does he commit? What are 
thev ? 



QUESTIONS. 195 

10. Which do you think is most honorable ; 
to treat our parents disrespectfully or respect- 
fully ? 

1 1 . Which of the sons of David, was very 
disobedient and cruel to his father ? 

] 2. How was he punished for it ? 

13. Do you remember a good man, who is 
spoken oi in the Bible, who was punished for 
not bringing up his children well ? 

14. Suppose a child was so unfortunate as 
to have a parent who did not do right ; what 
would be the duty of the child to such a pa- 
rent ? 

15. Explain, in your own language, the 
manner in which you think pupils should be- 
have to an instructor ? 

16. When you see pupils behave thus, how 
do yon feel towards them? How do other 
people feel ? 

17. If children wish to be beloved and re- 
spected, how should they behave towards their 
parents and uistructors ? 



CHAPTER IX. 



DUTIES OF CITIZENS. 



Suppose twenty men and women, with their 
families, to be thrown together, upon an unin- 
habited island. They would soon begin, from 
necessity, to build themselves houses, and cul- 
tivate the soil, and catch for their use, whatev- 
er animals might be found. Whatever each 
family thus builded, or raised, or caught, it 
would, of course, hold, as its ow^n. And, if any 
one exchanged with another, whatever he had 
secured by exchange, would also be his own. 
In other words, each one would work for him- 
self, and claim as his own, whatever he had 
produced. 

They might thus live very happily for a 
long time ; at least, so long as every one acted 
in this manner, and they would need, neither 
laws nor government. But suppose that any 
one should begin to act differently. Suppose 
any one should undertake to drive his neigh- 
bor's family out of their house ; or, after they 
had raised a crop of corn, should come and 
carry it into his own barn, and leave them to 



DUTIES OF CITIZENS. 197 

Starve. And suppose another, seeing this was 
so easy a Avay of support, should undertake 
to do the same thing to another neighbor* 
The result would be, that, if no one could 
enjoy the fruit of his labor, no one would 
work, and they would either starve, or else 
they would go away and live alone ; and thus 
be exposed to the inconveniences of always 
living in the wilderness. 

Or, suppose another case. Suppose that 
the man who was turned out of his house, de- 
termined upon having his revenge, and set fire 
to the house of his oppressor. Here would 
be two famines turned out of houses, and left 
destitute. These two families might, on the 
same principles, go on, to turn out of their 
possessions, two others, who might avenge 
themselves by two more fires, and thus it 
would go on, until all the houses and property 
were destroyed, and the whole settlement 
would very soon perish. 

Now it is clear tliat this would never do. 
There must be a stop put to such proceedings, 
and the only way would be, to stop it at the 
beginning. The whole community would 
have to unite against the first robber, and 
oblige him to return the property which he 
had stolen, and to agree together, that they 
would always do so, to any one who should 
17 ^ 



198 DUTIES OF CITIZENS* 

Steal again. And, if this did not stop it, they 
would have to agree to punish the robber, in 
some such way, as would oblige him to let 
alone every thing that was his neighbors. 
This would be the first law of this little com- 
munity. 

And now having made this law, and thus 
having undertaken to see that no one inter- 
fered with his neighbor's property or rights, it 
is evident that no one need undertake to 
avenge himself; or to reclaim by force, any 
thing that haci been taken from him. This 
community would, therefore, agree together, 
that, if any oue was injured, he must apply to 
them for redress, instead of redressing himself. 
The reason of this is evident, for they would 
be better judges how much he was injured, 
and what redress should be made, than he 
would be himself; because, it is a bad rule, 
to allow any man to be judge in his own case. 
This would be the second law of this com- 
munity. 

These two laws then would be, first, that 
no one should interfere with his neighbor's 
rights, in any manner whatever ; and, second- 
ly, if any one did thus interfere, that the in- 
jured person should not attempt to redress 
himself, but, should leave the subject to be 
decided upon by the whole community. 



DUTIES OF CITIZENS. 199 

In process of time, these laws would have 
to be subdivided, as there would be various 
forms of injury. A man might encroach up- 
on his neighbor's land. This would require 
one form of redress. One might steal by 
day, another by night ; one might break open 
a house, another might steal a horse ; each 
one requiring a separate form of punishment. 
And so, of redress of grievances ; one might 
strike another, and a second might burn his 
house ; these would have to be distinguished , 
and all these forms of crime be defined, so 
that the innocent might be distinguished from 
the guilty, and the guilty punished according 
to their deserts. 

As this community increased in number^ 
and it became necessary to make a great ma- 
ny laws, it would be impossible for them all 
to meet, on every occasion that presented it- 
self. They would therefore be obliged to 
appoint a few persons, in their place, to meet 
for this purpose. Eight or ten w^ould unite 
together and select a prudent and wise man, 
and agree to be bound by what he should 
consent to. These delegates w^ould be legisla- 
tors, and such an assembly would be a legis- 
latiu^e. 

But after the laws were made, and cases of 
injury became frequent, all the community 



200 DUTIES OF CITIZENS. 

could not meet together, to decide between 
two men, who had a difficuhy with each 
other. They would, therefore, be obliged to 
appoint some persons, who should make it 
their business to hear causes, and decide, ac- 
cording to law. This would save a great deal 
of time, and would also insure a much better 
administration of justice. Such men would 
be judges, and when they were assembled, 
they w^ould be called a court. 

And, besides, after they had decided what 
was right, and how a bad man should be pun- 
ished, it would be necessary that some one 
should carry their sentence into effect. Such 
persons are called executive officers. Gov- 
ernors, sheriffs, and constables, belong to this 
class. 

Now, all these officers taken together, leg- 
islators, judges, governors, sheriffs, fee. are 
called the government of a country. They 
are persons appointed by the people, in some 
mode or other, to make laws, and to carry them 
into execution, so that no man shall interfere 
with his neighbor's rights ; and, so that if he 
does, he shall be obliged to make redress, and 
shall be punished for his crime. 

Hence, the duties of citizens, are, in gener- 
al, these. 

1. As he agrees that no one shall interfere 



DUTIES OF CITIZENS. 201 

with the rights of his neighbor^ he is bound to 
obey this law himself; that is, he is bound, in 
all his intercourse respecting the personal lib- 
erty, character, reputation, property, and fam- 
ilies of others, to obey the law of reciprocity, 
or to do unto others, as he would that others 
should do unto him. 

2. If other men disobey this law, and injure 
him, he is bound not to take redress into his 
own hands, but to leave it to the society ; that 
is, the courts of law, to whom, he has agreed 
that all such cases shall be referred. 

3. As he has agreed that all laws shall be 
made by legislators, he is bound to obey all 
the laws which they make, consistent with 
the power which he has entrusted into their 
hands. 

4. As he is a member of the community 
which has promised to protect every individu- 
al, he is bound to use all means necessary to 
ensure that protection. He is bound to make 
every effort in his power, to secure to every 
individual, whether high or low, rich or poor, 
the full enjoyment of his rights ; and, if he 
be wronged, the full redress for injury. 

5. As the purposes of government cannot 
be carried on without expense ; since gover- 
nors, legislators, judges, &c. must be paid for 
their services ; and, as every one has the ben» 



202 DUTIES OF CITIZENS. 

efit of these services, every one ought, v^ill- 
ingly, to bare his share of the pecuniary bur- 
den. 

To illustrate what has been said in the pre- 
ceding remarks. Suppose a man had stolen 
your horse, and there were no laws, and no 
government. You might go to him and ask 
him for it, and he would refuse to give it up. 
Suppose you attempted to take the horse 
away by force, the man might resist you, and 
if he were stronger than you, would drive you 
away, and injure you, or perhaps kill you, to 
prevent you from troubhng him. You thus 
could have no remedy, and the next day, he 
might take your cow, or turn you out of your 
house, and you could not help it. 

But suppose there were laws, and a govern- 
ment ; observe now how differently you would 
be situated. In this case, there would be a 
law to prevent men from stealing ; and judges 
to decide whether a man had stolen ; and of- 
ficers to punish the thief, and to reclaim the 
property taken. 

Let us now suppose the horse to be stolen. 
Instead of going to the man who stole it, you 
would go to one of the judges, called justices 
of the peace, and inform him that the man 
had stolen your property. He would imme- 
diately send for the thief, and bring him before 



DUTIES OF CITIZENS. 203 

him. If the thief would not come, the sher- 
iff who was sent, would have power to order 
all the men in town to help him. You would 
then tell your story, and the man would tell 
his ; and, if you could prove the horse to be 
yours, the justice would give him up to you, 
and would send the man to jail, to be tried for 
the crime of stealino;. When the indo-es of 
the higher court came together, twelve men 
of the neighborhood would be appointed, who 
are called jurors, or jurymen. The tbief 
would then be brought before them, and the 
witnesses would be examined, to prove wheth- 
er the man did steal the horse, or whether he 
got him some other way. The judi^e would 
explain the law, and the jurors would decide 
whether the man was guilty or not -guilty. If 
he was not guilty, he would be set at liberty. 
If he was guilty, the judge would pronounce 
the punishment of the law for stealing. If it 
was imprisonment, the sheriff would lake him 
to prison, and he would be kept there, until 
the time expired, for which he was sentence il. 
We see from this case, how much better 
every one can obtain justice, when there are 
laws and government, than Vvdien there are 
none ; and, hence, how great a blessing it is, 
to live in a civilized country, where such laws 
exist. 



204 QUESTIONS. 



Questions. 

1. Could men live together without laws 
and government ? 

2. Under what circumstances could they 
live thus ? 

3. What creates the necessity for laws and 
a government ? 

4. Suppose men all chose to act unjustly, 
and there were no laws to restrain them, what 
would be the result ? 

5. Would laws be of any use, without a 
government? Why? 

6. Why would it not answer, to allow every 
man to redress his own grievances ? 

7. What are the two great laws of society, 
on which all the others are founded ? 

8. Explain, in your own language, what is 
meant by a legislature. 

9. How is a legislature appointed ? 

lOo Explain, in your own language, what is 
meant by a judge. 

1 1. What is the use of judges ? 

12. What is the use of sheriffs and con- 
stables ? 

13. Suppose a man injures me, and I un- 
dertake to punish him myself; do I violate the 
law of my country ? Wliy ? 

14. Suppose a man has committed a crime, 



QUESTIONS. 205 

and I join a mob to tear down his housej or to 
punish him in any m.anner : do I violate the 
law ? Why ? 

15. Slip pose a law is made, which I think 
unjust ; have I a right to violate it ? Why ? 

16. Suppose I see a mob assaulting a man^ 
and 1 quietly look on ; am I innocent ? What 
ought [ to do ? 

17. Suppose a mob commit an injury, and 
I praise their courage, and apologize for their 
crime; am I innocent? 

18. Suppose one man by his abuse, irri- 
tates the passions of other men, and they 
unite and injure him ; which is to blame, he 
or they, or both ? Which ought to be pun- 
ished ? 

19. Suppose a man should owe you money, 
and would not pay it ; would you have a right 
to take his property yourself, v\*herever you 
could find it ? Wliy ? 

20. What must you do in order to recover 
your due ? 

Section II. 

Of the different forms of Government, 

In the preceding chapter, I have described 
what is called an elective government. By 

18 



306 FORMS OF GOVERNMENT. 

this is meant, one, in which all officers are either 
chosen by the people ; that is, by the whole 
society ; or, are appointed by those who are 
thus chosen. Thus, in this country, legisla- 
tors, governors, presidents, &:c. are chosen by 
the people; and judges, and other officers, are 
either chosen by the people, or are appointed 
by the legislators. 

But all governments are not elective. Some 
are hereditary ; that is, a man succeeds to of- 
fice by inheritance. In this form of govern- 
ment, if a king dies, his son becomes a king 
in his place ; that is, he inherits his office, in 
the same manner as he inherits his house or 
lands. And, if a man is a legislator, his son 
becomes, in the same manner, a legislator after 
him. 

Again, some governments are partly hered- 
itary, and partly elective. When this is the 
case, some of the offices are hereditary, and 
others are elective ; that is, the persons who 
hold some of them are chosen by the people. 

But there are other forms of government 
besides these. A government may be either 
a monarchy, an aristocracy, or a republic. 

A monarchy is a government, in which the 
chief authority is vested in one person, who is 
called a king. If the king is chosen, it is call- 
ed an elective monarchy ; if he succeeds to 



FORMS OF GOVERNMENT. 207 

his office by inheritance, it is called a hered- 
itary monarchy. 

In son^ie cases, a king is allowed to make 
laws according to his own will, without any 
one to control him ; and to do what he pleases 
with the lives and properties of his subjects. 
This is called an absolute monarchy, or a des- 
potism. In other cases, the king is bound by 
certain rules which he must not transgress ; or 
is obliged, before he can make any law, to ob- 
tain the consent of some other individuals. 
This is called a limited monarchy. 

An aristocracy, is a form of government in 
which the whole power is in the hands of a 
few persons. An aristocracy has generally 
been, either hereditary, or else the members 
of the aristocracy themselves, fill the vacan- 
cies which may occur in their number. 

A republic is such a form of government as 
I have before described, in which all offices 
are either held by election of the people, or 
else, by appointment from those who are thus 
elected. 

These forms of government are sometimes 
simple and sometimes mixed. 

Thus, the government of Russia is a simple 
monarchy, without any limitation of power ; 
the emperor being assisted by such councils 
only, as he may himself appoint, 



208 FORMS OF GOVERNMENT. 

2. The government of Great Britain, is a 
mixed monarchy, composed of three branch- 
es ; the king, the house of lords, and the 
house of commons. 

The office of king is hereditary, and the 
king is the chief magistrate of the realm. 

The lords or peers, form the second branch 
of the legislature ; and their office is also he- 
reditary. They are at first appointed by the 
king ; but after their appointment, they and 
their successors, hold their office perpetually. 
The third branch of the legislature is the 
house of comm.ons. These are elected by 
the people, as in a republic. No law can be 
passed, that is, become binding on the peo- 
ple, unless it be agreed to by all these three 
branches ; namely, the king, the lords, and 
the commons. 

Under any of these forms of government, 
if the men who hold offices, be virtuous, and 
desirous of promoting the welfare of their 
fellow men, there may be peace, security and 
happiness. The misfortune, however, to which 
some of them are liable, is, that when officers 
are vicious, unfeeling, and oppressive, there 
are no means of controlling their power, with- 
out revolution, and civil war. On the con- 
trary, just in so far as a government is elec- 
tive, the power is placed in the hands of the 



QUESTIONS. 209 

people, who are then in no danger of being 
oppressed by government. Their only dan- 
ger then isj that they will oppress each other. 



Questions, 

1. Explain, in your own language, the dif- 
ference between an elective, and an heredita- 
ry government. 

2. Explain the difference between a mon- 
archy, an aristocracy, and a republic. 

3. Explain the difference between an un- 
limited and a limited monarchy. 

4. What is the difference between the gov- 
ernment of Russia, and that of Endand. 



Section III. 

The form of Government in the United 
States, 

This country was first settled by emigrant 
colonies, principally from England, who land- 
ed on various parts of the Atlantic coast, 
from Maine to Georgia. Each of these colo- 
nies had its separate charter, or form of gov- 
ernment, which, it established, as soon as its 
18* 



210 FOUMS OF GOVERNMENT? 

settlement was formed. As they increased irl 
numbers, their boundaries were defined, and, 
as so many separate governments, they held 
possession of the whole coast. They were 
all, how^ever, dependent upon the king of 
England, from whom they received their 
charters ; and, by whom, most of their gover- 
nors, and frequently their ji:idges and other 
officers were appointed. 

As the colonies increased in power, difficul- 
ties sprung up between them and Great Brit- 
ain, or, the mother country, as it was com- 
monly called. These ended in the American 
revolution, by which, the colonies were for- 
ever separated from Great Britain, and were 
acknowledged, by the whole world, to be at 
liberty to form a government for themselves, 
on such principles, and in such manner, as 
they chose. 

Soon after the revolution, delegates were 
appointed by these several colonies, or States, as 
they were then called, to form a constitution ; 
or, in other words, to establish a form of gov- 
ernment. This was completed on the 17th 
of September 1787, and was submitted to the 
several States for approval. This having 
been subsequently approved by all the States, 
is the form of government under which we 
now live* 



IN THE UNITED STATES. 211 

The general features of this form of gov* 
€rnrnent are the followmg. 

The separate States retain all the original 
powers which they possessed when they sep* 
■arated from the British nation, except such as 
they have given up to the general govern-^ 
ment. Thus, they all. elect their own officers^ 
make their own laws, and punish offenders 
against them, and, are sovereign, in every 
thing that does not interfere with the general 
good of the whole. 

On the other hand, whatever belongs to the 
welf:ire of the whole, and not to that of the 
individual States, is vested in Congress, or the 
general government. The extent, however, 
within which this power is confined, is limit- 
ed by the constitution. 

The head of the government, in this coun- 
try, is called the President ; he holds his of- 
fice for four years, and is chosen by electors, 
who are elected by the people, or by the leg- 
islatures of the several States. 

The legislature of the United States is di- 
vided into two branches, the Senate and the 
Hou^e of Representatives. 

The Senate is composed of two members 
from each state. The members hold their 
office for six years, and are chosen by the 
legislatures of the several States. 



212 QUESTIOKi. 

The members of the House of Represerlf g- 
tives are elected by the people of the several 
States, every State being entitled to one, for 
every fifty thousand inhabitants. They hold 
their office for two years. No law can be en- 
acted, unless it receive the sanction of the 
President, and both Houses of Congress ; ex- 
cept both Houses pass it by a majority of two 
thirds, in opposition to the President ; it then 
becomes a law without his consent. 

The President and Senate have power to 
form treaties with foreign powers, and to ap- 
point all the principal officers of the govern- 
ment, as judges of the United States Courts^ 
ambassadors^ officers in the army and na- 
vy, &c. ^ 

The judges of the United States Courts 
have power to try all causes of violation of 
the laws of the United States, and all causes 
between citizens of the different States, and 
all causes which arise between a citizen of the 
United States and a foreigner. All offences 
against the laws of the several States are tried 
by the judges of the respective States. 



Questions. 
1. How was this country first peopled by 
Europeans ? 



^ITESTIONS* 213 

2. How were they governed before the rev- 
olution ? 

3. What produced the revoh.ition ? 

4. In what condition were they, when the 
revolution w^as completed ? 

5. What is the difference between the pow- 
er of the States, and that of the United States^ 
or general government? 

6. How long do the President, Senate, and 
House of Representatives, hold their offices ? 

7. What powers have the Senate, different 
from those of the House of Representatives? 

8. Suppose a citizen of the United States 
to owe a foreitrner : to whom must the forei^-n- 
er apply for redress ? 

9. Suppose a cause in law to arise between 
two citizens of different States; w^here must 
the cause be tried ? Give an example. 



DUTIES OF BENEVOLENCE. 



CHAPTER I. 

BENEVOLENCE* 

We have thus far treated of those duties^ 
which we owe to man, on the principle of re- 
ciprocity ; and, for which, he can have a just 
claim upon us. They are those duties, which, 
while they allow us to pursue our c.wn hap- 
piness as we please, forbid us, in any manner^ 
to interfere with the right which every one 
possesses, to pursue his own happiness in the 
same manner. 

If men would only obey this law, the world 
would be much happier than it is. There 
would be no oppression, no robbery, no slan- 
der, no injury of any kind, but all men would 
live in peace and quietness. 

But in order to render the world as happy 
as it can be, something more is necessary. We 
are required not only to let our neighbors alone, 
and do them no injury, but are also positively 
required to do them good. This is the law of 
benevolence. 

For instance. Every one is liable to be 
sickj and multitudes of people are always sic^k* 



O^ EENETOLENCE. 215 

When sick, they are unable to work for a 
livehhood, or even to take care of themselves. 

If, then, there were no one to take care of 
them, they would perish. Every body is 
liable to accidents ; and, if no one would help 
a man in distress, he must suffer. How wick- 
ed it would be, if a Uttle girl were run over 
by a carriage, and I were to leave her to be 
trodden to death, because I did not owe her 
any thing, and wished to mind my own busi- 
ness. Every one feels, that, though I had 
never seen her before, and we e never to see 
b«r again, yet I would be under obligations to 
render her all the aid in my power; that is, 
every one feels that I am, and that every* 
man is, under the obligation of benevolence. 

But again. Suppose that in a neighbor- 
hood, there were a large number of children, 
who did not know how to read or write, and so 
were deprived of all the pleasure of reading 
good books, and especially of reading the 
Bible. Now, suppose that there were, in this 
ne'ghborhood, two young men, and one of 
them said, he did not owe these children any 
thing, and should mind his own business. But 
suppose the other, without asking whether they 
owed him or not, should collect them together 
in school, and teach them to read and write 
and cip er, and thus put them all in the way 



216 or BENEYOLENCEV 

to be useful and happy men and women* 
Which of these should we love the best ? 
Which, should we say, did liis duty ? Which of 
them should we say, wasactingin such a man- 
ner, as best to please his Father in Heaven? 

Again. Suppose these children were very 
wicked, and swore, and bed, and stole. If any 
gcod person saw and heard them act thus, he 
would be greatly grieved. I do not know but 
it would be his duty to have the worst and 
largest punished. Wow, suppose one man 
should say, it is my duty, as a citizen, to put a 
stop to such conduct ; and I will have these 
Lttle thieves put in jail. But this is all I have 
to do ; I will mind my own business, and if 
they go to destruction, it is their own fault. 
But suppose another man should go among 
them, and show them the wickedness of their 
conduct, and ta'k kindly to them, and teach 
them to he good and virtuous, and so be the 
means of making them all pious and virtuous 
children. Which of these two should we like 
the best ? Which should w^e say did liis duty to 
these children ? Which would act most in 
obedience to the Bible ? 

But once more. Suppose these children 
should revile and abuse him, steal his proper- 
ty, and when he came to do them goodjshould 
ridicule him, and do all in their power to in- 



OF BENEVOLENCE. 217 

jure him. He might go away and leave them5 
saying I have come here at my own expense, 
and without any reward, to teach these chil- 
dren to be virtuous and happy, and all I get in 
return, is injury, vile abuse, and robbery. I 
will go away and leave them to destruction. 
Or, he might say, I do not care how they treat 
me, I will still continue to do them all the 
good I can. The more wickedly they act, 
towards me, the more clearly it shows that 
they need good instruction, and I will strive 
the more to make them virtuous and happy. 
The more they hate me, the more I will love 
them. Now, which of these ways of acting 
would be the most lovely ? For which should 
we think most highly of the man ? Which con- 
duct would be most like doing our duty ? 
Which would be most like the example of the 
blessed Saviour. 

If, now, we reflect upon these cases, we shall 
see that we feel under obligations to benevo- 
lence towards men who are unhappy, towards 
those that are wicked, and even towards those 
that injure us. 

That this is the case, is manifest from what 
the blessed Saviour teaches us, in Luke vi. 
32-36. 

'^ If ye love them that love you, what thank 
have ye, for sinners also love those that love 
19 



218 0F BENEroLENCir^ 

ihem ? And if ye do good to those that 
do good to you. what thank have ye, for 
sinners also do even the same. And if ye lend 
to those of whom ye hope to receive^ what 
thank have ye ? for sinners also lend to sin- 
ners, to receive as much again. But love y& 
your enemies J and do good and tend,^ hoping 
for nothing again^ and your reward shall be 
great, and ye shall be the children of the high- 
est; for He is kind unto the unthankful and 
the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your 
Father in heaven is merciful." 

Thus also Matthew v. 43-48. " Love your 
enemies ; bless them that curse you ; do good 
to them that hate you, and pray for those 
that despitefully use you and persecute you^ 
that ye may be the children, (that is, the im- 
itators,) of your Father who is in heaven ; for 
he maketh his sun to rise upon the evil and 
the good, and sendeth his rain upon the just 
and upon the unjust.'" 

The meaning of '"^ being merciful, '^ here, is 
obvious. It is to promote the happiness of those 
who have no claim upon us, by the law of re- 
ciprocity ; and from whom, we can hope for 
nothing, by way of remuneration. 

The example after which our benevolence 
is to be fashioned, is that of our Father who is 
in heaven • 



OF BENEVOLENCE^ 219 

This teaches us 

1. As God is the exhaustless source of hap- 
piness to all the creatures whom he has made, 
and to whom he is under no possible obhga- 
tions ; so, we are commanded to make use of 
our talents and acquisitions and possessions for 
promoting the happiness of our fellows. What- 
ever is given us, is given, not for our own happi- 
ness directly and chiefly, but for our happiness 
indirectly; that is, that we may be happy, by 
promoting the happiness of others. 

2. God bestows the blessings of his com- 
mon providence, without respect to the charac- 
ter of the recipient. He sendeth rain on the 
just and on the unjust. We are to follow the 
same example. While our personal attach- 
ments, and our moral esteem, is to be reserv- 
ed for those that deserve it, yet, our chari- 
ties are to be bestowed, wherever there exist 
those that stand in need of them. We are 
therefore to relieve the distressed, to pity the 
afflicted, to assist the needy, administer to the 
sick, and instruct the ignorant, no matter how 
undeserving they may be, or how much we 
may dislike their moral character. 

3. By the same example we are taught, 
that our benevolence is not to be limited by 
the feelings, which the recipient may have to* 
wards us. God so loved us^ that^ while we 



220 OF BENEVOLENCE, 

were yet sinners, Christ died for us. When 
we were enemies, we were reconciled to God^ 
by the death of his Son. Thus, our blessed 
Saviour spent his life in doing good to his bit- 
terest enemies, unmoved by the most atrocious 
and most malignant injustice. So, we are 
commanded to bless them that curse us, do 
good to those that hate us, and pray for those 
that despitefully use us, and persecute us. 

The reasons, aside from the example of 
God, which enforce this duty upon us, are 
various. Some of them are the following : 

1. God has made it the condition of the par- 
don of our offences against him. *"^ If ye for- 
give not men their trespasses, neither will your 
heavenly father forgive your trespasses." Read 
the parable of the two servants, Matt, xviii. 
23-35. 

2. Those virtues, which are called into ex- 
ercise, by ill treatment from our fellow men^ 
are those which exhibit the highest moral ex- 
cellence, and are most essential to that char- 
acter which fits us for heaven. Such are 
meekness, patience, forgiveness. It is to such 
tempers of mind, that a special blessing is 
promised. 

The virtues which man rewards, may pro- 
ceed from the love and the fear of man. It 
is those, for the exercise of which we can ex- 



peel BO reward from men^ that are the proper 
evidence of our love and obed'ance to God. 
Thus it is, that these virtues are held forth to 
us, as the evidences of true piety. See our 
Lord's description of the last judgment, in 
Matth. XXV. " Inasmuch as ye have done it^ 
(that is mercy,) unto the very least of these, 
ye have done it unto me." 

I might add, that the law of benevolence 
applies to man as man ; that is, to man irre* 
spective of any of the temporary relations in 
which he may stand to us. It makes no mat- 
ter whether he be of our kindred or of anoth- 
er, a fellow citizen or an aUen, or of our reU- 
gion or of another, it is enough that he is a 
man; and this entitles him, under the law of 
God, to all the benefits of the law of benev- 
olence. Nay, in one sense, the fewer the 
ties that bind him to us, the more glorious is 
the act of goodness, because it is under these 
circumstances, that we can cherish the least 
hope of reward ; and the more evident will 
be the proof of our disinterestedness. It 
would have been noble in Howard to have vis- 
ited the prisons of England alone, but it 
was more noble to extend his inquires to 
France, the national enemy of England. It 
would have been glorious to have died a ma.- 
19^ 



Q22 QUESTIONS. 

tyr to the cause of benevolence at home, hut 
how much more so was it, to die in a remote 
province of the Russian empire, in a town, of 
which the existence would scarcely be remem- 
bered, but for the fact, that it witnessed his 
last deeds of mercy, and guards his sacred 
remains, until the morning of the resurrec- 
tion. 

If this command is given to man, I see not 
why it is not equally obligatory on nations. 
They seem to me to be under the same ob- 
ligations to conduct towards each other on the 
principles of benevolence, as individuals ; that 
is, to make it a fundamental principle of their 
policy, to do each other good, by all the means 
which God has placed in their power. 

We shall, in the succeeding chapter, treat 
of benevolence to the unhappy, to the wicked, 
and to the injurious. 



Questions. 

1. Do we perform our whole duty, if we sim- 
ply abstain from injuring others ? Illustrate 
this by an example of your own. 

2. If we merely abstain from injury, what 
class of duties do we perform, and what class 
do we omit? 

3. How do you feel towards those, that will 
do nothing for others more than merely abstain 
from injury ? 



QUESTIONS. 223 

4. How do you feel towards those, who en- 
deavor to do all the good they can to others^ 
whether they be friends or enemies ? 

5. What should these feelings teach you ? 

6. What are the precepts of the blessed 
Saviour on this subject ? 

7. What was the example of the blessed 
Saviour ? 

8. What do we learn from the example of 
God towards us ? 

9. Suppose God were to bestow no favors 
upon us, but those that we have deserved, 
what would be our condition ? 

10. What favors does he bestow upon us, 
that we have really deserved ? 

1 1. In what manner has God connected the 
forgiveness of our own offences, with our for- 
giveness of those of others ? 

12. Which class of virtues are most ac- 
ceptable to God, those of reciprocity, or those 
of benevolence ? 

13. How many reasons can you give for this ? 

14. How extensive are our obligations to 
benevolence ? 

15. In what respect does the law of benev- 
olence apply to nations? 

16. Were nations to act upon this principle 
towards each other, what effect would it pro- 
duce upon war? 



CHAPTER II. 



Section I. 
Benevolence to the Necessitous » 

A man may be necessitous from poverty, 
from sickness, or decrepitude; or from igno- 
rance. 

Simple poverty, in general, so long as a 
man has the ability to labor, does not render 
him an object of charity. If a man does not 
possess the means of subsistence, he should 
work for them. What we are generally re- 
quired to do, in such a case, is, to furnish men 
with work, and thus enable them to support 
themselves. It is no kindness, either to the 
individual, or to society, to support him in 
idleness. Such is the nature of the benevo- 
lence of God. While he bestows the means 
of support upon all, giving us food and har- 
vests, he still gives them, only as the result of 
labor. The apostle Paul, also taught, that if 
a man would not work neither should he eat. 



OF BENEVOLENCE. 225 

To this, however^ there are exceptions. 
Thus^ a family may, by the providence of God, 
be deprived of their means of labor. Such 
are the cases of shipwrecks, of fire, of flood, 
or sometimes the want of employment, in 
manufacturino; districts. In o-eneraL when the 
providence of God, and not a man's idleness, 
renders him necessitous, he is by this act of 
God, pointed out to us, as an object of be- 
nevolence. Another exception is, where the 
labor of parents is insufficient for the support 
of their children. Such is the case, very fre- 
quently, where widows are left with several 
small children, and still more impressively, 
when children have lost both of their parents. 
In both cases, some, or all must perish, if the 
aid of benevolence do not interpose. 

2. Sickness. Here the providence of God 
takes avv^ay a man's ability to labor, and he 
needs, more than ever, the comforts w^iich labor 
provides. Without assistance, the sick would 
then suffer ; how much more must this be the 
case with the poor. When such claims as 
these are made upon our charity, not only our 
pecuniary bounty, but our personal assistance 
should be freely rendered. 

3. Old Age, Though old age is not al- 
w^ays accompanied wdth sickness, it generally 
is by decrepitude, and frequently with loneliness 



226 OF BENEVOLENCfi. 

Whatever it is in our power to do, to mitigate 
the pains, and alleviate the burdens of age, is 
manifestly a duty of benevolence, and in some 
sort, of filial affection. 

Such are the instances, under tins head, 
which demand our benevolence. The rules to 
be observed are easily to be seen. 

1. The poor, who, either by sickness or 
old age, are unable to labor at all, should be 
wholly supported. 

2. The poor, who, by sickness, old age or 
orphanage are able only in part to support 
themselves, should be assisted. 

3. Those who are unable immediately to 
obtain work, should be relieved for the pres- 
ent; and work should be procured for them. 
The greatest kindness to any man is, to ena- 
ble him to help himself. 

5. It is a very great act of kindness, to 
provide means, by which the poor may be en- 
abled to preserve and accumulate their small 
earnings, such as savings' banks, and institu- 
tions of this sort. These are the true means 
of rendering the industrious, independent ; 
and they have laid the foundation of the fortune 
of thousands. 

So far as the benefactor is concerned, it is to 
be remarked : 



OF BENEVOLENCE. 227 

1. That the duty of benevolence is imposed 
upon all. Every one may not be able to bestow 
money upon others, but every man may ren^ 
der assistance, in some form, to the distressed ; 
and, every man may show sympathy with the 
afflicted. Children may be benevolent, as 
well as men and women. If they would de- 
vote a part of the money which they spend in 
toys, to purchase food for the sick ; or, if they 
were to share their comforts, and delicacies 
with their poorer neighbors, it would be a most 
excellent mode of improving themselves in 
virtue. 

2. Those modes of benevolence which bring 
us into immediate contact with the sufferers, are 
always to be preferred. It is much better to 
bestow charity ourselves, than to give it to 
others to bestow ; though, to give it to others 
to bestow, is better than not to give it at all. 
Nothing has a better effect upon our hearts, 
nothing tends more to awaken gratitude to God, 
than personal sympathy with the distresses of 
our fellows. 

And, lastly, inasmuch as charity should be 
a religious service, like prayer ; it should be 
as much as possible in private. Our alms 
should be in secret, and our Father who seeth 
in secret, will, himself, reward us openly. 



228 OF BENEVOLENCE. 



Of Education. 

Every one must see how great a misfortune 
it is to be unable to read and write and cipher. 
A person who is thus ignorant, has scarcely 
any means of acquiring knowledge, and can 
neither read the Word of God, nor even read a 
letter sent to him by his friend. It must then 
be very pleasing to God, for those who under- 
stand these branches of knowledge, to teach 
those who are ignorant. 

Avery excellent opportunity of this kind is 
afforded in the Sabbath Schools, which exist in 
almost every town in our country. Every 
young person, who desires to cultivate benev- 
olence, and to obey God, ought to engage in 
this excellent charity. The good that we 
may do, in thus rescuing a child from igno- 
rance and vice, is incalculable. 

And, besides this, these schools afford us 
an opportunity of instructing the young, not 
only in learning, but also in the Bible, which 
contains the only knowledge that can save 
their souls. What can be more pleasing to 
God, than to behold young persons, showing 
their gratitude for the favors which they have 
received, by immediately conferring the same 

v rs upon others. 



QUESTIONS. 229 

Questions. 

1. Suppose a strong and healthy man, asks 
me for money ; am I under oWigation, because 
he Is without money, to give him any ? Why ? 

2. What ought I to do for him ? 

3. Is it better to give him work than mo- 
ney ? Why ? 

4. What example have I to justify this ? 

5. Suppose, however, I found that this 
man's house had been burnt down last night, 
and all his family's clothing and food consum- 
ed ; what ought I to do ? 

6. Suppose, by some act of God, all the 
manufactories in my neighborhood were stop- 
ped, and the laborers could get no work ; what 
ought I to do ? 

7. Suppose a widow was left with several 
small children, and it required a dollar a day 
to support them, while she could, with all her 
labor, earn but half a dollar a day. Is she 
an object of charity, and to what amount ? 

8. What is our duty to the sick and af- 
flicted ? 

9. What does Christ teach us on this sub- 
ject ? Where does he speak of this subject ? 

10. Does his precept enjoin any thing be- 
sides the giving of money ? 

20 



^30 Q,UESTIONS. 

1 1 . Are^ the poor under obligation to be be- 
nevolent ? 

12. How can they be benevolent without 
money ? 

13. Why is it better to relieve a sufferer 
ourselves, than to give money to another to 
relieve him ? 

14. Why should charity be in secret? 

15. Is there any charity in teaching others ? 
Why? 

16. Have young persons any particular 
means of charity which devolve specially up- 
on them ? 



Section II. 
Benevolence to the Wicked, 

So far as we have gone, we have considered 
solely our duty to those who are unhappy. 
We now come to consider our duty to another 
class ; those that are wicked. 

We have seen, that if a man is unhappy 
from sickness, or age, or poverty, it is our du- 
ty to relieve him. But a wicked man is un- 
happy in the very worst sense ; for there is 
no misery so great as sin. And still more, he 
is always the cause of wickedness in others. 



BENEVOLENCE TO THE WICKED. 23l 

He is like a man sick with some infectious dis- 
ease, which he is in danger of communicating 
to all that are around him. And still more, 
the pains of this life terminate at death, but 
the pains of sin, at death, are infinitely in- 
creased, and are, after that, incapable of cure, 
forever. 

Now, all these considerations teach us, that 
a wicked man, is, above all others, an object 
of pity. And hence, it is our special duty, to 
try to benefit him, by rendering him virtuous. 

Many people say that if a man be wicked, 
we should shun him, and let him alone. This 
is true, in one sense. We should not make 
him our companion, we should not put our- 
selves in danger of learning his wicked habits. 
If a man is a drunkard, we should not go and 
drink with him ; if a man is profane, we should 
not associate with him. All this is so ; but 
this is no reason why we should not try to re- 
claim the drunkard, and teach the profane 
person to fear an oath. It is one thing, to 
take men as our friends and associates, and 
another thing to try to do them good. 

The duties which we owe to men who are 
wicked, are the following. 

1. We should consider them, when in afflic- 
tion or distress, as truly objects of our pity as 
other men. That w^e should feel as much 



232 BENEVOLENCE TO THE WICKED. 

pleasure in relieving them, as in relieving the 
virtuous, is perhaps impossible. But this 
does not show, that it is not as much our duty 
to do so. 

2. We should by all means in our power, 
labor to reclaim them from vice. 

This may be done. 

1. By example. By acting virtuously our- 
selves, we administer the kindest, and fre- 
quently the most effectual reproof to the vi- 
cious. If we are in their company, therefore, 
we should always resolutely show, that we are 
on the side of virtue, and have no sympathy 
with vice. Though they may ridicule us, and 
dislike us, yet love to them, should teach us 
to bear this, patiently, for their good. 

2. By precept. We should, by suitable 
conversation, endeavor to convince men of 
the evil of their course, and urge and encour- 
age them to return to virtue. Advice of this 
sort, is generally, vastly more effective, if giv- 
en in private. 

3. As the truths of religion are, by far, the 
most efScient agents in restoring men to virtue, 
we should use all proper means to circulate 
them among men, not only by conversation, 
but also by the distribution of religious books, 
and specially of the Scriptures. 

4- As all men are our brethren, and all 



BENEVOLENCE TO THE WICKED, 233 

men need moral assistance, it is, manifestly, our 
imperative duty to reclaim the wicked, as widely 
as possible. As, by far the greater part of men^ 
are utterly ignorant of the way of salvation ; 
hence, it is our important duty, to send the 
gospel every where, to the destitute. 

5. As such is the darkness of the mind of 
man, and as they are so obstinately bent on 
doing wrong, we can hope for little success in 
this mode of benevolence, without the assis- 
tance of a higher power. God has promised 
to grant this assistance, in answer to prayer. 
Hence, it is also our particular duty, to pray 
for the influences of the spirit of God, to at- 
tend our labors, and the labors of all who are 
enoao:ed in the work of benefittino; mankind. 



Questions. 
i. Why is a wicked man an object of be- 
nevolence ? 

2. Why is he, specially, an object of be- 
nevolence ? 

3. If it is our duty to shun the wicked^ 
how can it be our duty to seek after them, 
and try to reclaim them ? 

4. Suppose a wicked man is sick, or has 
broken his leg ; does his w^ickedness excuse 
me from the duties of benevolence ? 

20^ 



234 Q^UESTIONS. 

5. If men are wicked, should we follow 
their had example ? 

6. What reason does their wickedness of- 
fer, why we should set them a good exam- 
ple ? 

7. Is there any benevolence in persuading 
men to be virtuous ? How can you show this 
to be benevolent ? 

8. What are the most efficacious means of 
rendering men better? 

9. Do all men need this kind of benevo- 
lence ? 

10. How wide is the limit of this means of 
doing good ? 

11. Have we any reason to hope that God 
will, in a special manner assist our efforts to 
make men better, if we ask him to do it ? 

12. What duty devolves upon us, in conse- 
quence of his assurance to this effect ? 



Section III, 

Benevolence to the Injurious. 

We now proceed to another case. Sup- 
pose a person to be injurious ; that is, suppose 
that besides being wicked, he has been wicked 



BENEVOLENCE TO 235 

to US ; that is, has injured us. What is our 
duty to him in such a case. 

1. Inasmuch as the action is wicked, it 
should excite our moral disapprobation, as 
truly, as if it were done to any one else. We 
should, under all circumstances, dislike vice, 
and love virtue. 

2. But, if we consider the person himself^ 
inasmuch as he is wicked, he is unhappy, and 
hence we are bound to pity and to relieve ; 
that is, if possible, to reform him. 

3. As the injury is done to us, it is our du- 
ty to forgive liim. This is the duty specially 
required of us, by our blessed Saviour. If ye 
forgive not men their trespasses, neither will 
your heavenly Father forgive your trespasses. 
On our obedience to this command, therefore, 
is suspended our only hope of salvation. 

4. As the injury is done to us, it presents 
us with a special opportunity of doing good to 
the injurious person, by setting before him an 
example of goodness. Hence, it is our duty 
to overcome his evil by good ; that is, by 
treating him with special kindness, and mani- 
festing a special regard for his happiness. 
Thus says our blessed Saviour, bless them 
that curse you, do good to them that hate 
you, and pray for them that despitefuUy use 
yoii, dSiA persecute you. 



236 THE INJURIOUS. 

How much better is this way of settling 
difficulties, than that of retaliation. In this 
mode, both parties are made better ; by re- 
taliation, both are made worse. By the one, 
injuries would be multiplied without end ; by 
the other, they cease, immediately, by the mere 
exercise of goodness. 

While this, however, is the case, it does 
not prevent us from taking the proper means 
for punishing men, who, not only offend 
against us, but also offend against society. If 
a man break into my house, it does not fol- 
low, from what has been said, that I should 
not take proper means to have him put in 
prison. Otherwise, he might go on robbing 
to the end of his life, which would be the 
greatest misfortune, both to him, and to oth- 
ers. While I may forgive him for the injuries 
done to me, and use all means to reclaim him, 
my duty to others, as well as to him, obliges 
me to take such means, as may prevent his 
going on in his course of wickedness. 

But, on the other hand, society should look 
upon him, as a being whom it is their duty to 
improve. Hence, prisoners should be always 
treated humanely, and be comfortably clothed, 
and fed, and every means should be used to 
render them virtuous. Prisons would thus be 
schools of moral reformation, and would be 



QUESTIONS. 237 

the greatest possible blessing, both to the 
wicked themselves^ and to the rest of the 
community. 

Houses of refuge for juvenile delinquents 
have been a most valuable blessing to the 
community, and have saved hundreds of youth 
from destruction. All prisons should be of 
the same character, and would then, I believe, 
be attended with the same result. 



Questions. 

1. What do you mean by an injurious 
man ? 

2. What feelings should we have to a bad 
action^ by which we have been injured ? 

3. What feelings should we have towards 
the person himself, who has injured us ? 

4. What special duty devolves upon us, in 
distinction from others, from the fact that we 
have been injured ? 

5. What good can we derive from an in- 
jury ? 

6. Are there any virtues called into exer- 
cise, by injury more than by any other cause ? 

What do you mean by retaliation ? Give 
an example. 

8. Give an example of retaliation, and oi 
overcoming evil with good. 



238 QUESTIONS. 

9. Which produces the best effect upon 
the injurious person? 

10. Which is the best way of repaying in- 
jury ? 

11. Does this prevent us from punishing 
men who violate the laws of society ? 

12. Is it, or is it not, for the good of an of- 
fender himself, to be punished ? 

13. With what end should prisons be con- 
structed and governed ? 



CHAPTER IIL 

OF OUR DUTIES TO BRUTES^ 

Brutes, like ourselves, are sensitive beings ; 
that is, they are capable of pleasure or pain^ 
probably, to as great a degree as we are. 
They differ from us, principally, in being des- 
titute of the moral faculty. They do not 
know right from wrong. 

They are not, however, on a level with us. 
Hence, they cannot claim the right of reci- 
procity. We are at liberty to diminish their 
means of happiness, or to take their lives for 
our own happines, if our necessities, and, fre- 
quently, if our innocent conveniences, demand 
it. God has given them to us for food; and, 
hence, has placed their lives in our power. 
But, we have no right to use this power, for 
any other purposes, or in any other manner, 
than as he has permitted. Thus, 

1. We may take their lives for food, if we 
need it. A man may slay a bullock, if he 
needs it to eat, but he has no right to kill one 
for sport. A man on a prairie may shoot a 
deer, or a buffalo^ if he wants the flesh to eat, 



240 OF OUR DUTIES TO BRUTES. 

or the skin to wear, but he has no right to do 
it, to show his skill in marks-man ship. So, if 
we wish a bird to eat, it is right to shoot it ; 
but not to do it wantonly, or for amusement. 
Why should we for a momentary pleasure, 
deprive the poor brute, of all the blessings of 
existence. 

2. We may use them for labor, as we use 
horses for the draft or for the saddle. 

3. But while we so use them, we are bound 
to use them kindly, and subject them to no 
unnecessary fatigue, and to no unnecessary 
pain. If our necessity require a horse to be 
overdriven, as for instance, to preserve life, or 
to accomplish important business, we are at 
liberty to do it. But we have no right to do 
this for our own pleasure, or for the sake of 
gambling on the speed of animals. 

4. Hence, all amusements which consist in 
inflicting pain on animals, such as horse racing, 
bull baiting, cock fighting, are purely wick- 
ed. God never gave us power over them, for 
such purposes. I can conceive of no specta- 
cle more revolting, than that of an assembly 
of intelligent beings, collected to witness the 
misery, which two brutes inflict upon each 
other. Surely nothing can tend more direct- 
ly, to harden men into worse than brutal fe- 
rocity. 



quEstioNg. 241 



Questions. 

1. What is the difference between a brute 
and a man ? 

2. In what respect^ are brutes and men 
similar to each other ? 

3. What right have we over them ? Give 
an example in your own language. 

4. Would it be right to shoot a robin, to 
see how correctly you could take aim? 

5. Under what circumstances, would it be 
innocent to shoot a bird ? 

6. Suppose a physician were called to see 
a patient who must die, if not relieved imme* 
diately ; would it be innocent for him to drive 
his horse to death, in order to save the pa- 
tient ? 

7. Would it be right to drive him thus, on 
a wager ? 

8. But the horse in both cases is his own 
property ; what makes the difference ? 

9. Is it right for young persons to set brute 
animals to fighting ? Why ? 

21 



CONTENTS. 

PART FIRST. 

CHAPTER I. 

Page. 
Of Moral Law, Moral Action, and of Intention. 

Bect. I. Of Moral Law, . . , 1 

Sect. II. Of Moral Action and Intention ,.... 5 

CHAPTER II. 

Of Conscience. 
Sect. I. What ive mean by Conscience, and how 

Conscience admonishes us 10 

Sect. II. Of the manner in which we may improve 

or abuse our Conscience ■, * * 16 

Sect. III. Rules for Moral Conduct 25 

CHAPTER III. 
Is a man sure he does right, when his Conscience 
does not reprove him 31 

CHAPTER IV. 
Of Happiness 35 

CHAPTER V. 
Imperfection of Conscience 41 

CHAPTER VI. 
Of the nature and defects of Natural Religion .... 45 

CHAPTER VII. 
Of the Holy Scriptures 51 



CONTENTS. 343 



PART SECOND. 



t)F THE DCTTES OF MaN TO GoD, AND TO HTS FeLLOW 

Man. Of Love to God, or Piety. 



CHAPTER L 

Page* 

Of our obligation to love God. » .».......* , 58 

CHAPTER H. 

Of Prayer 73 

Sect. I. The nature of Prayer , 73 

Sect. II. The duty of Prayer , 77 

Sect. III. The utility of Prayer , S2 

CHAPTER HI. 

The observance of the Sabbath 87 

Sect. I. Of the institution of the Sabbath 87 

Sect. II. Of the manner in which the Sabbath is to 
be observed 93 

Duties to Man, or Morality, 

CHAPTER I. 
The duties of Reciprocity 98 

CHAPTER II. 

Of Personal Liberty and the modes in which it may 

be violated 107 

Sect. I. Violation of Personal Liberty by the indi- 
vidual 109 

Sect. II. Violation of Personal Liberty by Society, , 114 

CHAPTER III. 

Of Property 121 

Sect. I. Kature and origin of the Right of Prop- 
erty 120 



^44 c0Ntent^. 

FagdV 
Sect. II. Of the modes in lohich the Right of Prop- 
erty may he violated .....,...» 125 

Sect. III. Law of Property or Law of Buyer and 

Sellei 129 

Sect. IV. Of Loans !.'.*!.*.' 136 

Sect. V. Of Exchanges when the Equivalent is im- 
material^ or Service 144 

CHAITER IV. 
Of Character ,...„. ISO 

CHAPTER V. 
Of Reputation 155 

CHAPTER VI. 

Of Veracity 163 

Sect. I. Of Assertions ; . , 164 

Sect. II. Of Promises and Contracts 170 

CHAPTER VII. 
Duties and Rights of Parents »••......... 178 

CHAPTER VIII. 
Duties and Rights of Children 188 

CHAPTER IX. 
Duties of Citizens « 196 

Sect. II. Of the different Forms of Government , . . 205 
Sect. III. Of the Forms of Government in the Unit- 
ed States , , , 209 

The Duties of Benevolenck. 

CHAPTER I. 
Benevolence , 214 

chai;ter II. 

Sect. I. Benevolence to the JVeccssitous , 225 

Sect. II. Benevolence to the Wicked 231 

Sect. III. Benevolence to the Injurious 235 

CHAPTER III. 
Our Duties to Brutes, , , . 239 



PUBLISHERS, BOOKSELLERS & STATIONERS, 



Charles D. Gould, j 59 Washing ton* St. 

Charles S. Kendall, > 

Joshua Lincoln. 3 BOSTOXT. 



G. K. &. L. keep a general assortment of Books 
ID the various branches of Literature, Science and 
Theology. — AlsQ, Stationary, which they will sell 
on the most reasonable terms, 

Ainona;' the many valuable books which they pub- 
lish are the following for SCHOOLS : 

PALEY'S THEOLOGY, Fourth Edition, 
illustrated by Forty Plates, and a selection from the 
Notes of Dr. Paxton, with additional Notes, original 
and selected, for the Edition, with a Vocabulary of 
Scientific terms. Edited by an eminent Physician of 
Boston. 

From the Spirit of the Pilgrims^ 

The work before us is one which deserves rather to 
be 5^?/(7iVf/ than merely read — indeed, without dilig-ent 
attention and study, neither the excellence of it can be 
fulh^ discovered, nor its advantages realized Jt is there- 
fcTe gratifying to find it introduced, as a text-book, in 
several of the Colleges and literary institutions of our 
country . 

1 



Sf 



The edition before us is superior to any we Jbave* 
geen — and we believe, superior to any that has yet been 
pubHshed. On the whole, we have seldom received a 
volume with more pleasure than this, or one which we 
can more cordially recommend to the public. 

We cannot hope to increase the reputation of this 
standard work by any remarks we shall make — yet we 
may be permitted to say that whenever a family admits 
this devout philosopher into their circle, each one of 
their number is brought into contact with a mind of the 
first order, and to those who hold converse with high 
and spiritual intelligence — ''The world thenceforth 
becomes a temple ^ and life itself one continued act of 
adoration." 

From the Christian Examiner. 

Perhaps no one of our author's works gives great- 
er satisfaction to all classes of readers, the young, the 
old, the ignorant and the enlightened, than the Natural 
Theology. Indeed, we recollect no book in which the 
arguments for the existence and attributes of the Su- 
preme Being, to be drawn from his works, are exhibited 
in a manner more attractive and more convincing. The 
Vocabulary of scientific terms appended to the volume 
by the editor, will be found Yery convenient to most 
readers : and the few notes which he has given, are so 
appropriate, judicious, and well written, that we regret 
that he has not favored us with more. The plates no 
doubt add to the interest of the Vv^ork, even where the 
argument was sufficiently intelligible without them, and 
serve to impress on the memory the statements they are 
intended to illustrate. 

YOUNG LADIES' CLASS BOOK. A se- 
lection of Lessons for Reading, in Prose and Vei'se. 
By Ebenezer Baily, Principal of the Young Ladies^ 
High School, Boston. 



From the Principals of the Public Schools for Females^ 
Boston. 

Gentlemen, — We have examined the Young Ladies 
Class Book with interest and pleasure ; with interest) 
because we have felt the want of a Reading Book ex- 
pressly designed for the use of females ; and with pleas- 
ure, because we have found it well adapted to supply 
the deficiency. In the selections for a reaider designed 
for boys, the eloquence of the bar, the pulpit, and the 
forum, may be laid under heavy contribution ; but such 
selections we conceive, are out of place in a book de- 
signed for females. We have been pleased, therefore, to 
observe that in the Young Ladies' Class Book such 
pieces are rare. The high-toned morality, the freedom 
from sectarianism, the taste, richness and adaptation of 
the selections, added to the neatness of its external ap- 
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together with those peculiar points, the want of which j 
few, who have not felt, know how to supply. 
Respectfully yours, 

Abraham Andrews, 
Charles Fox, 
Barnum Field, 
R. G. Parker. 

From the Principal of the Mount Vernon School, Boston. 

I have examined with much interest the Young La- 
dies' Class Book, by Mr. Bailey, and hav€ been very 
highly pleased with its contents. It is my intention to 
introduce it into my own school, as I regard it as not 
only remarkably well fitted to answer its particular ob- 
ject as a book of exercises in the art of elocution, but as 
calculated to have an influence upon the character and 
sjonduct, which will be in every respect favorable. 

Mount Vernon School^ Jan. 3, 1832. 

Jacob Abbott 



From the Principal of the Franklin Seminartf. 

Gentlemen, — I have examined with some degree of 
attention and much satisfaction , the Young Ladies' Class^ 
Book, by Mr. Bailey, and consider it the best work of 
the kind now extant. Such a work has long been a 
desideratum, and I am happy that it is so fully met in the 
present work; the happy and judicious selections, indi-^ 
oate the chaste spirit which has so long distinguished its^ 
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Yours with esteem, Amasa Buck. 

JVetv-Market, June 24, 1834. 

Extract from the Education Reporter. 

The reading books prepared for academic use, are of- 
ten unsuitable for females. They contain pieces too 
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glad, therefore, to perceive that an attempt has been 
made to supply the deficiency ; and to believe that the 
task has been faithfully and successfully accomplished.. 
The selections are judicious and chaste ; and so far as- 
they have any moral bearing, appear to be unexception- 
able. 

From the Annals of Education, 

We were never so struck with the importance of hav- 
ing reading books for female schools, adapted particular- 
ly to that express purpose, as while looking over the pa- 
ges of this selection. The eminent success of the com- 
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of the work, considered as a collection of lessons in el- 
ocution ; they are in general admirably adapted to culti- 
vate the amiable and gentle traits of the female charac- 
ter 3, as well as to elevate and improve the mind«. 



From the Ladies' Magazine, Boston. 

Mr. Bailey, has long beers known as the principal of 
the Young Ladies' High School in this city. He" is ah 
excellent instructor, and his experience has undoubtedly 
suggested the propriety of introducing reading books 
for female pupils, selected with a more particular refer- 
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v/hich are prepared for common schools. We think the 
idea a happy one, and that he has made a judicious se- 
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will undoubtedly be very welcome to young ladies at 
school, and it will likewise be a valuable work for the 
domestic circle. 

BLAKE'S NATURAL PHILOSOPHY, 

JVew Edition, Enlarged. Being Conversations on 
Philosophy, v^^ith the addition of explanatory Notes, 
Questions for Examination, and a Dictionary of Phi- 
losophical Terms. With twenty-eight Steel Engra- 
vings. By Rev. J. L. Blake. 

Perhaps no work has contributed so much as this, to 
excite a fondness for the study of Natural Philosophy in 
youthful minds. The familiar comparisons with which 
it abounds, awaken interest, and rivet the attention of 
the pupil. It is introduced, with great success, into the 
Public Schools in Boston. 

From Rev. Jaspar Mams, President of Charleston Col- 
lege, S. C. 

I have been highly gratified with the perusal of your 
edition of Conversations on Natural Philosophy. The 
Questions, Notes, and Explanation of Terms are valua- 
ble additions to the work, and make this edition superior 
to any other with which I am acquainted. I shall re- 
commend it wherever I have an opportunity. 

[O^' To reward the extensive patronage which this 

useful work is still receiving, the editor has added to it 
1# 



& 



two Chapters — one on Electricity, the othet on Voliah 
Eleclriclti/, with nnmerous illustrations on steel plates. 
T»he price of this work has always been reasonable — it i^ 
now one of the cheapest school books in use. 

FIRST BOOK IN ASTPwONOMY.--^ 
Designed for the use of Common Schools, Il- 
lustrated by Steel Plate Engravings. By Rev, J* 
L. Blake. 

From Mr. Edward Hinckley, Professor of Mathematics in 
the University of Maryland. 

I am much indebted to you for a copy of the Rev. J. 
L. Blake's First Book in Astronomy It is a work of 
utility and merit, far superior to any other which I have 
seen, with regard to the purposes for which it is design- 
ed. The author has selected his topics with great judg- 
ment, arranged them in admirable order, and exhibited 
them in a style and manner at once tasteful and philo- 
sophicaL Nothing seems wanting — nothing redundant. 
It is truly a very beautiful and attractive book, calculat- 
ed to afford both pleasure and profit to all who may en* 
joy the advantage of perusing it. 

From the New York Daily Evening Journal. 

The illustrations, both pictoral and verbal, are admir- 
ably intelligible ; and the definitions are such as to be 
easily comprehended by juvenile scholars. The author 
has interwoven with his scientific instructions much in- 
teresting historical information, and contrived to dress 
his philosophy in a garb truly attractive. 

Mr. Bfirnum Field, Principal of the Hancock Grammar 
School, Boston, says to the Publishers, May 13 : — I know 
of no other work on Astronomy, so welt calculated to 
interest and instruct young learners in this sublime sci- 
ence. I believe that when its merits are fully known, it 
will become a valuable auxiliary in the cause of educa^ 
tion. 



From the Boston Evening Gazeitt. 

We are free to say tlia,t it is in our opinion, decidedljf 
the best work we have any knowledge of, on the sub- 
lime and interesting subject of Astronomy. The engra- 
vings are executed in a superior style, and the mechan- 
ical appearance of the book is extremely prepossessing. 
The knowledge imparted is in language at once chaste, 
elegant and simple — adapted to the comprehension of 
those for whom it is designed. The subject-matter is 
selected with great judgment, and evinces uncommon 
industry and research. V/e earnestly hope that parents 
and teaciiers will examine and judge for themselves; as 
we feel confident they will coincide with us in opinion. 
We only hope the circulation of the work will be com- 
mensurate with its merits. 

From James F. Gould ^ Principal of the, High School for 
Young Ladies, in Baltimore, Maryland. 

I shall introduce your First Book in Astronomy into 
my Academy in September. I consider it decidedly su- 
perior to any elementary work of the kind I have ever 
seen. 

FIRST LESSONS in INTELLECTUAL 

Philosophy. Adapted to the use of SclioolSj by Rev. 
Silas Blaisdale. 

The present edition of this excellent work the editor 
has much improved, as appears from the following ex- 
tracts from his preface. 

'• Intellectual Philosophy has heretofore been studied 
with but little success even in our high schools. The 
present work proposes to be an introduction to this sub- 
ject in a simple and more familiar form than any other 
treatise which has been presented to the public. The 
editor would briefly remark, that his intentions in adapt- 
ing questions to the work is not so much for the assis- 
tance of instructors, as for the advantage of the pupils, 
by giving them a clue to the leading topics, the train of 
reasoning, and the incidental remarks of the author; and 



8 



ihereby fixing the attention and awakening an interest^ 
which otherwise might be wanting. In preparing the 
present edition, he has revised the questions, added a 
few notes, and in some instances transposed and correct- 
ed the text where it seemed to be obscure." 

[O^ As an elementary Treatise on Intellectual Philos- 
ophy, the publishers know of no book so well adapted to 
schools as this ; and they believe that no one can rise 
from its perusal without having acquired a relish for the 
study of intellectual philosophy. The work is highly 
recommended. 

ROMAN ANTIQUITIES &d ANCIENT 

Mythology. By Charles K. Dillaway, Principal in 
the Boston Public Latin School. Illustrated by ele- 
gant engravings. Third edition, improved. 

From the Education Reporter, Boston. 

This is the title of another respectable volume, prepar- 
ed by one of the teachers of our Public Latin School. 
The want of a cheap volume, embracing a succint ac- 
count of ancient customs, together with a view of clas- 
sical mythology, has long been felt. To the student of a 
language, some knowledge of the manners, habits, and 
religious feelings of the people whose language is stud- 
ied, is an indispensable requisite. This knowledge is 
seldom to be obtained without tedious research or labo- 
rious investigation. Mr. Dillaway 's book seems to have 
been prepared with a special reference to the wants of 
those who are just entering upon a classical career ; and 
we deem it but a simple act of justice, to say that it sup- 
plies the want, which, as we have before said, has long 
been felt. In a small duodecimo, of about a hundred 
and fifty pages, he has concentrated the most valuable 
and interesting particulars relating to Roman Antiquity ; 
together with as full an account of heathen mythology, 
as is generally needed in our highest seminaries. A 
peculiar merit of this compilation, and one which will 
gain its admission into our highly respectable female 



9 



seminaries, is the total absence of all allusion, even tlie 
most remote, to the disgusting obscenities of ancient my- 
thology ; while at the same time, nothing is omitted^ 
which a pure mind would feel interested to know. We 
recommend the book as a valuable addition to the trea- 
tise in our schools and academies. It comprises in a vol- 
ume of convenient size and price, all the valuable infor- 
mation which is generally sought in the larger and more 
expensive works of Adams and Tooke. 

From Ehenezer Bailey, Pi'incipal of the Young Ladies' 
High School, Boston, 

Messrs. Gould, Kendall & Lincoln : — Having used 
" Dillavmys Roman Antiquities and .Ancient Mythology,'' 
in my school for several years, I commend it to teach- 
ers, with great confidence, as a valuable text book on 
those interesting branches of education. 

E. BAILEY. 

Boston, Nov. 16, 1835. 

PRONOUNCING INTRODUCTION to 

Murray's English Reader, in which accents are plac- 
ed on the principal w^ords, to give Walker's pronun- 
ciation. Stereotyped, handsomely printed, and or- 
namented w^ith cuts. 

PRONOUNCING ENGLISH READER, 

being Murray's Reader, accented by Israel Alger, Jr. 
Printed on handsome stereotype plates, and good pa- 
per, and ornamented with cuts. 

Notice of the Pronouncing Introduction and Reader, from 
the Journal of Education. 

These books are valuable contributions to a general 
and extensive reformation in the style of reading. The 
department of pronunciation is treated with a rigor and 
closeness of attention, which it has never before receiv- 
ed. Every word in which any mistake could be made. 



10 



Is carefully and distinctly marked. If these editions of 
Murray's Reading Books should obtain, as we hope they 
v/ill, the exclusive currency in our schools, in town and 
country, it would take but a few years to produce a uni- 
form and correct pronunciation throughout the United 
States. In this edition of these justly popular works, 
the progress of improvement in the schools of this coun- 
try has outstripped that in England School Books, 
such as these before us, would be of great service there, 
in rooting out the provincial peculiarities which are still 
suffered to remain in too many places. 

THE NATIONAL ARITHMETIC, combi- 
ning the Analytic and Synthetic Methods, in which 
the principles of Arithmetic are explained in a per- 
spicuous and familiar manner; containing also, prac- 
tical systems of Mensuration, Gauging, Geometry, 
and Book-keeping, forming a complete Mercantile 
Arithmetic, designed for Schools and Academies in 
the United States. By Benjamin Greenleaf, A. M. 
Preceptor of Bradford Academy. 

Extract from the Preface. 

The author of the following work is far from flatter- 
ing himself, that he is about to present to the public any 
considerable number of new principles in the science of 
arithmetic. But from thirty years experience in the bu- 
siness of teaching, he has been led to suppose, that some 
improvement might be made in the arrangement and 
simplification of the rules of the science. How far he 
has succeeded in his attempt at making this improve- 
ment, the public must judge. 

A few of the rules, which some arithmeticians of the 
present day, have laid aside as useless, the author has 
thought best to retain; as Practice, Progression, Posi- 
tion, Permutation, etc. For though some of these rules 
are not of much practical utility, yet, as they are well 
adapted to improve the reasoning powers^ they ought 



n 



not, in the author's judgment, to be laid aside hy B.ny, 
who wish to become thorough arithmeticians. 

In preparing this work, the author has consulted most 
of the standard writers on the subject in the English 
language ; from some he has quoted, as he has found oc- 
casion, and from many of which, he has received profit- 
able hints and suggestions. On the article of exchange, 
he is under particular obligations to that very able work, 
Kelley's British Cambist, to which he has had access 
through the politeness and favor of the gentlemen of the 
Boston Atheneum. And to such, as wish to go more 
extensively into the subject, than he has, he would re- 
commend Grund's Merchants' Assistant as the only 
thorough work on the subject, published in this country. 

FOWLE'S GEOGRAPHY AND ATLAS. 

This Geography is used with great success in the 
Monitorial School in Boston, and meets with uni- 
versal approbation among instructors. The Atlas 
is considered to be the most correct and beautiful 
ever presented to our schools. 

Extract of a letter from an accomplished Instructor in 
Philadelphia. 

I hope to see Fowle's Geography introduced into sev 
eral schools here. It is certainly an excellent work. 

[Q^ Many amusing Geographies have been published, 
adapted to please the young ; but the present work is of- 
fered to the public with the attractions of great accura- 
cy, copious information, easy and natural arrangement 
on the inductive plan, and greatly improved and highly 
finished maps, beautifully painted. Many of the most 
judicious instructors have introduced it, and all persons 
engaged in education are requested to examine it. 

PRONOUNCING BIBLE. By Israel Al- 
ger, Jr. In which all the proper names, and many 
other words are accented, to lead to a correct pro- 



12 



nuticiation. Above 1 0.000 copies of this work have 
ah^eady been called for, and it has exerted a very 
pow^erful influence in exciting attention to the sub- 
ject of correct pronunciation, and estabhshing habits 
of correct speaking. Well printed from Stereotype 
plates, and on good paper. 

The following series of works, edited by Mr. Alger, 
recently a teacher in Boston, are highly approved 
throughout the country. 

BALBFS GEOGRAPHY. The subscribers in- 
vite the attention of Teachers to a work just published 
by them, entitled An Abridgement of Universal Geography^ 
Modern and Ancient, chiefly compiled from the Abrege 
de Geographic of Adrian Balbi. By T. G. Bradford, 
accompanied by a splendid Atlas, and illustrated by 
Engravinus. 

The above work contains 520 pages 12mo. and is the 
most copious School Geography yet offered to the publicj 
and it is believed to be an important improvement, es^ 
pecially for the use of the higher schools and semina- 
ries. It has received the sanction of all Teachers that 
have examined it, and has been favorably noticed in 
many of our public journals. The Atlas accompanying 
this work, contains thirty-six maps and charts, — and is 
confidently recommended as superior, in every respect, 
to any thing of the kind now in use. From the numer- 
ous notices of the work the publishers present the fol- 
lowing — 

From the Rev. J. M. Matthews, D.D., Chancellor of New- 
York University. 

I have looked over Balbi's Geography, and the Atlas 
accompanying it. The arrangement and execution of 
both the works are such as to render them a valuable 
acquisition to our schools. I hope they will meet the 
patronage which they so well merit. 



13 



From Rev. George Bush, Professor of Hebrew and Orient 
tal Literature, J\\ Y. University, JV. Y. city. 

From the examination I have been able to bestow upon 
Balbi's Geography and Atlas, I am fully satisfied of its 
claims to general patronage. As a manual of geography 
and statistics, at once compendious and complete, I am 
not acquainted with any so highly deserving the atten- 
tion of those who are placed at the head of our literary 
institutions. 

From S. Johnston, Esq. Principal of an English and 
Classical School, JYew- York. 

The examination of Balbi's Geography and Atlas has 
afforded me much pleasure. 1 highly approve of its ar- 
rangement, which with the new matter it contains rela- 
tive to Canals and Railroads, &c. renders it a valuable 
text book for our more advanced schools. As a proof of 
my approbation of the book, I have resolved to adopt it 
in my first class. 

From the New York Literary Gazette. 

We have examined with more than ordinary care, this 
new and beautiful Geography and Atlas, and the exami- 
nation has impressed us most favorably. Indeed, for the 
higher classes of students, we know not the work so 
eminently calculated to impart a thorough knowledge 
of this useful and important branch of education. 

From the Scientific Tracts, 

Though this is an abridgem.ent of an Universal Geo- 
graphy by the celebrated Adrian Balbi, it deserves pat- 
ronao-e on account of its really intrinsic worth. Gould, 
Kendall ^^ Lincoln, the publishers, may well feel proud 
of having furnished American youth, and their seniors 
too, v»ath a sterling work. This book should go into all 
the public and private schools. Besides the accuracy, 
minuteness and concentration of facts observable on 
the first glance, so important in a geographical compen- 
dium, the Atlas accompanying the volume is not surpas* 

2 



14 

sed by any similar publication : and of itself, has a dis- 
tinct claim to the attention of scholars. 

THE CLASS BOOK OF NATURAL 
THEOLOGY ; or the Testimony of Nature to the 
Being, Perfections and Government of God, by the 
Rev. Henry Fergus ; revised, enlarged and adapted 
to Paxton's Illustrations, with Notes, selected and 
original, biographical notices, and a vocabulary of 
scientific terms, by the Rev. Charles Henry Alden, 
A. M., Principal of the Philadelphia High School 
for Young Ladies. 

From the Episcopal Recorder. 

We are glad to see this work of Fergus brought be- 
fore the public with advantages likely to engage atten- 
tion, and sure to promote its usefulness VVe are es- 
pecially pleased that this has been done by one whose 
reputation and devotion in the cause of female educa- 
tion, will be a sufficient recommendation of it to tliose 
whom it seems to' have been his particular design to 
benefit. A growing attention to this branch r f educa- 
tion and considerable improvements in . it, have of late 
appeared. 

The book, as now presented, is better fitted for a class 
book on natural theology, than any with which we are 
acquainted. The style of it is ^ree and easy, yet concise, 
and witlial exceedingly chaste and classical — the produc- 
tion of a well-disciplined, well-stored, and pure mind. 
The author treats of the origin of the world, the evi- 
dences of design in nature, the perfections of the Deity. 
These, and his various topics, are illustrated by Paxton's 
admirable plates, heretofore published in connection 
with Dr. Paley's work on the same subject. These, 
together with the notes and explanations of the Ameri- 
can editor, are important additions, and contain much 
valuable information. Besides these, there is inserted a 
lecture of Dr. Mitchell, of Philadelphia, on ^' the wis- 
dom of God in the formation of water, which is conso- 



15 



nant with the general spirit of the work, and abounds in 
wise and happy reflections. Through the whole book 
the most cheerful views of human life, of the character 
of God, and of our relation and duties to him prevail. 
No one can read it without feeling his motives to piety, 
and his stores of wisdom replenished. 

From the JVational Gazette. 

The publishers have made a very useful addition to 
school and academic libraries in their stereotype edition of 
^- The Class Book of Natural Theology," from the pen 
of the Rev. Henry Fergus, revised and enlarged and 
adapted to Paxton's Illustrations, with notes, biographi- 
cal notices, <^c., by the Rev. Charles Henry Alden, 
Principal of the Philadelphia High School for Young 
Ladies. 

From the United States Gazette. 

The general plan of the work is excellent, and the 
details, so far as we can judge, are good. We take a de- 
light in running our eye over such a work as this ; it 
reconciles us with our lot, and vindicates '• the ways of 
God to man." It seems to awaken curiosity in the 
young student, to extend and gratify enquiry, and to 
lead him from the objects of creation around him, ^' to 
Him in whom we live and move and have our being." 
It is a most admirable study for schools. 

" The proper study of mankind is man." 

From the Presbyterian. 

We commended this work for its excellence on its first 
appearance, and we can now more confidently recom- 
mend it, in this new edition. The Rev. Charles Henry 
Alden, of this city, who is favorably known as a very 
successful teacher, has adapted it to Paxton's Illustra- 
tions, and enriched it with notes, biographical notices, 
and a vocabulary of scientific terms. 



16 



From the Journal of Belle Lettres. 

We do not hesitate to pronounce the work one of the 
best Class Books we have examined. It must have 
an extensive sale when known. 

From the Scientific Tracts. 

Nothing gives us more pleasure than the multiplica- 
tion of this class of writings. While the reader gains 
an accurate knowledge of the mechanism of animated 
beings, and learns the physiology of the functions of in- 
dividual organs, his thoughts are elevated in contempla^ 
ting the attributes of Deity. Every word of the Class 
Book, of which the Rev. Henry Fergus is the talented 
author, is excellent. The present edition is enlarged 
and enriched by the addition of valuable matter. By all 
means this book should engage the particular attention 
of school teachers. 



RELIGIOUS WORKS. 



FULLER'S COMPLETE WORKS,— in 

2 vols. 

This valuable work is now published in two large 
octavo volumes, on fair type and fine paper, at a very 
low price. The cost of former editions ($14) precluded 
many from possessing it. The publishers are gratified 
in being able to oflfer to the Christian public a work so 
replete with doctrinal arguments and practical religion 
at a price that every minister and student may possess it. 
No Christian can read Fuller, without having his impul- 
ses to action quickened ; and every student ought to 



17 



Mudij him, if he wishes to arm liimself against ever}- 
enemy, A reviewer says, — 

This work, in the material and style of execution, is 
highly creditable to the American press. The publish- 
ers, in issuing this work, have conferred an obligation 
upon the communit3^ and will doubtless be rewarded in 
a liberal return of their investment. Mr. Fuller was 
among the few extraordinary men who have ever appear- 
ed in this world. H§ possessed a great vigor of intellect, 
and an uncommon share of good sense, inflexible in- 
tegrity, and the most ardent love of truth. He possessed 
very clear and consistent views of human depravity, 
and of the ground of moral obligation. His grand de- 
sio;n, as a v/riter, was to produce moral action. He be- 
lieved in the divine purpose, that the rest of heaven 
should be gained by constant vigilance and labor. In 
his life and travels, he witnessed the hyper-calvinistic 
or antinomian spirit sweeping over the churches, with- 
ering up, like the sirocco's blast, their vital principle, 
and converting into barren wastes. Over these things 
he prayed and wept ; and when he took up his pen, it 
was his chief purpose to correct these errors, and thus to 
rouse the church from their paralyzing influence. His 
constant a,iin v/as to disperse the darkness in which the 
truth was involved, that it might shine forth in all its 
heavenly lustre. He labored to remove from the divine 
lav7 the deadening sv/athe with Vv^hich it had been bound ^ 
by those who feared its edge. 

Another reviewer says. 

The works of Andrew Fuller have been before the 
public for several years. Public opinion has passed on 
them its decisive sentence. Fhey have taken their 
place among the standard theologicar writings in the 
English language. They discuss some of the greatest 
questions which can occupy the human mind, — atone- 
ment — faith — ^justification — the nature of moral obliga- 
tion. These, and innumerable subordinate topics, are 
treated with much acute discrimination, sound judgment, 
scriptural accuracy, and fearless love of truth, softened 

2* 



a 



by benevolent kindness. No well informed tlieologian 
can henceforward be ignorant of these writing. They 
must have a place in every good library. They may 
be recommended to every theological student, a^ pre- 
senting, in a small compass, the cardinal doctrine of 
faith once delivered to the saints, so accurately and clear- 
ly expressed, as to fix themselves in his mind, vAih the 
luminous distinctness of axiom. They may be introdu- 
ced into the family; and v/hile they will make tlie chris- 
tian love and study the Bible more, they will assist him 
to understand its doctrines better, and practice its pre- 
cepts^with more alacrity and steadiness. 

Gentlemen — It gives us great pleasure to learn that 
you are about to[publish the works of the Rev. Andrew 
Fuller, in a compressed form, and at a price which will 
be favorable to their extensive circulation. Their great 
value in exhibiting generally clear, discriminating, and 
profound views of the gospel, is so universally admit- 
ted, and so justly appreciated, as not to need our recom- 
mendation. 

If, however any of the friends of truth should be un- 
acquainted with the writings of P/lr. Fuller, we would, 
with great earnestness and confidence, recommend them 
as deserving of their very attentive and candid perusal, 
and hope they will meet an extensive patronage. 

Daniel Sharp, P«5io?' Charles- St. Bap. Church. 

LucFus BoLLES, Cor. Sec. Bap. Board For. Mis. 

Wm. Hague, Pastor of First. Bap. Church. 

Eben'r Thresher, Secry. North Bap. Ed. Sac. 

Gentlemen, — I cheerfully accord the testimony of my 
high approbation to tlie works of Andrew Fuller. He is 
one of the few great original and holy men whom God 
occasionally raises up to dispel the mists which gather 
about the tiuth, and bring out the unobscured illumina- 
tion of the word of God. No human mind has ever 
been unerring in all its expositions of revealed truth ; 
but Edwards and Fuller have comprehended, in my 
opinion, both the letter and spirit of the Bible in an emi- 
nent degree. With both, I have been deeply conver- 



19 



sant, from the commencement of my ministry to the 
present day, and have uniformly and earnestly recom- 
mended to theolof^ical students and young ministers, to 
imbue their minds Vvdth their heavenly dispositions, to 
acquire their habits of accurate definition and discrimin- 
ation, while they possess themselves of their judicious 
opinions and powerful arguments. A better service for 
the truth at the present day can scarcely be done, 
than by the extensive circulationof the works of Andrew 
Fuller. May it please the Lord to give you great success 
in the enterprise. 

Yours respectfully, 

Lyman Beecher. 

CAMPBELL and FENELON -qh EL0« 
QUENCE. Comprising Campbell's Lectures on 
Systematic Theology and Pulpit Eloijuence, and 
Fenelon's Dialogues on Eloquence. Edited by Rev. 
Professor Ripley, of the Theological Institution. 

[O^ It has been the aim of the editor of this work to 
make it more fitted to students in this country, and more 
profitable to those whose studies have not extended be- 
yond their own language. And he considers that these 
Lectures inculccite the true mode in which the study of 
theology should be conducted. 

The excellence of Fenelon's Dialogues concerning 
Eloquence, their general agreement v/ith the sentiments 
of Dr. Campbell's Lectures ; and their more ample dis- 
cussion of certain topics connected with preaching, ren- 
der their insertion in this volume quite appropriate. 
These dialogues Dr. Doddridge has called '^ incompara- 
ble dialogues on eloquence, which," he remarks, '• may 
God put it into the hearts of our preachers often and 
attentively to read." 

This complete volume on eloquence has been noticed 
by several periodicals, and recommended to all students 
who are preparing for the ministry. 

SCRIPTURAL NATURAL HISTORY. 
Containing a descriptive account of Quadrupeds, 



20 



Birds, Fishes, Insects, Reptiles, Serpents, PiantSj 
Trees, Minerals, Gems, and Precions Stones, Men- 
tioned in the Bible. By William Carpenter ; First 
American from the latest London Edition, with Im- 
provements ; by Rev. Gorham D. Abbott. Illustra- 
ted by numerous Engravings. There is also added 
to the work, by the American Editor, Sketches of 
Palestine. 

AN EXAMINATION OF PROFESSOR 
STUART ON BAPTISM. By Henry J. Ripley, 
Professor of Biblical Literature in the Newton Theo- 
logical Institution. 

A writer in a late Watchman says of this work — " It 
is a work of rare excellence. Throughout the examina- 
tion we have a lovely example of theological controver- 
sy, conducted with a becoming zeal for the truth, and, at 
the same time, with christian dignity and kindness. The 
work ought to be read by all who wish either to know 
what baptism is, or to be acquainted with the present 
state of thatpa^rt of the baptismal controversy cf which 
it treats. Prof Ripley has judiciouslj^ endeavored to 
make himself intelligible to all." 

From the PkiladeJpJda World. 

While this work will be recognized by our ow^n de- 
nomination, as of peculiar excellence, we entreat our 
Poedobaptist brethren to read it, in connexion with Pro- 
fessor Stuart's Essay. Jf they are not constrained by 
his arguments to forego their own sentiments on this sub- 
ject, and adopt his, of one thing at least we are assured, 
they cannot but admit that he has treated the subject 
dispassionately ; and those who differ v/ith him in his 
views, with Christian courtesy. Not one sentiment can 
be found that can wound the feelings ; though we be- 
lieve there are not a few that convince the judgment, if 
prejudice does not distort it. 



21 



FULLER'S DIALOGUES ON COMMU- 
NION. Being a candid and able Discussion of 
Strict and Mixed Communion ; to which is added, 
Dr. Griffin's Letter on the subject, and a Review of 
the same by Professor Ripley. Second Edition. 

MEMOIR OF GEORGE DANA BOARD- 
MAN, late Missionary to Burmah, containing much 
Intelligence relative to the Burman Mission, by Rev. 
Alonzo King, of Northboro', Mass. 

From Rev. J. 0. Choules, of JVew Bedford. 

I have read the memoir of Boardman with great sat- 
isfaction. It is a volume of no ordinary merit, and will 
compare advantageously with any similar production. 
The great charm in the character of Mr. Boardman was 
his fervent piety, and his biographer has succeeded ad- 
mirably in holding him up to the Christian world as the 
pious student, the faithful minister, and the self-denying, 
laborious missionary. To the student, to the Christian 
minister, it will be a valuable book, and no Christian can 
peruse it without advantage. I hope our ministering 
brethren will aid in the circulation of this Memoir. Ev- 
ery church will be benefitted by its diffusion among its 
members. I am much mistaken if the perusal of this 
volume does not lead some youthful members of our 
churches to look with an eye of pity on the wastes of 
Paganism, and cry, --Here am I, send me ! " 
Yours, <^c. 

John O. Choules. 

From the Christian Watchman. 

This Memoir belongs to that small class of books, 
which may be read with interest and profit by every one. 
It comprises so much of interesting history ; so much 
of simple and pathetic narrative, so true to nature; and 
sojmuch of correct moral and religious sentiment, that 



22 



it cannot fail to interest persons of all ages and of every 
variety of taste . It should have a place especially in 
every family library, and in all sabbath school libraries. 

From Rev. Baron Stow. 

Messrs. Gould, Kendall & Lincoln, — No one can read 
the Memoir of Boardman, without feeling that the reli- 
gion of Christ is suited to purify the affections, exalt the 
purposes, and give energy to the character. Mr. Board- 
man was a man of rare excellence, and his biographer, 
by a just exhibition of that excellence, has rendered an 
important service, not only to the cause of Christian 
missions, but to the interests of personal godhness. 
Yours, with esteem, 

Baron Stow. 

Sheafest. Feb. 23, 1835. 



Just published, a new and enlarged edition 
of the MEMOIR OF MRS. ANN H. JUDSON, 
late Missionary to Burmah. Including a History of 
the American Baptist Mission in the Burman empire 
to the present time. By James D. Know^les. Em- 
bellished with Engravings. 

Extract from Mrs. Hale's Ladies' Magazine, 

We are glad to announce this work to our readers. 
The character of Mrs. Judson is an honor to American 
ladies. The ardent faith that incited her to engage in an 
enterprise so full of perils, the fortitude she exhibited 
under trials which seems almost incredible a delicate 
woman could have surmounted ; her griefs, and the 
hopes that supported her, should be read in her own ex- 
pressive language. Her talents were unquestionably of 
a high order, but the predominant quality of her mind 
was its energy. The Vvork contains, besides the life of 
Mrs, Judson, a History of the Burman Mission, with a 
sketch of the Geography, &c. of that country, and a 



23 



map accompanying, and a beautifully engraved portrait 
of Mrs. Judson. 

From the London JS^cio Baptist Miscellany. 

This is one of the most interesting pieces of feniale 
biography which has ever come under our notiee. No 
quotation, which our limits allow, would do justice to the 
facts, and we must therefore refer our readers to the vol- 
ume itself. It ought to be immediately added to every 
family library. 

MEMOIR OF ROGER WILLIAMS, the 

founder of the State of Rhode Island. By James 
D. Knowles, A. M. Professor in the Newton Theo- 
logical Institution. 

From the Christian Watchman. 

In perusing Prof. Knowles' Memoir of Roger Wil- 
liams, the reader will find much of this beauty of histo- 
ry combined with biography. There were many noble 
traits of character in 5lr. Williams^ which rendered him 
the object of deserved admiration ; such as his eminent 
piety, his acts of humanity and justice towards the In- 
dians, his unbending integrity in principle, &c. The 
volume is a rich acquisition to the history of our country, 
ranking high in the catalogue of our best works in 
American literature. 

From the Christian Examijicr. 

The autliorhas evidently spared no pains in collectina; 
the requisite materials. 

From the jYeic England Magazine. 

We regard this work as a valuable accession to our 
colonial history. It exhibits marks of laborious research, 
and is v/ritten in a style of unaffected simplicity and 
clearness. 



24 



MEMOIR OF REV. WM. STAUGHTON, 
D. D. By Rev. S. Lynd, A. M. of Cincinnati, Ohio. 
Embellished with a Likeness. 

The thousands still living, who have hstened with 
rapture to the messages of salvation that flowed from his 
lips ; those gentlemen, v;ho have been trained up by his 
hand for usefulness' in society, and especially those 
whose gifts in the church he aided and cherished by his 
instructions, as well as the Christian and literary public, 
will review his life with peculiar satisfaction. 

By particular request, the Bev. Dr. Sharp of this city, 
has supplied the publishers w^ith an introductory Letter 

MORRIS' MEMOIRS OF FULLER. 

The Life and Character of the Rev. Andrew Fuller, 
Edited by Rev. Rufus Babcock, Jr. President of 
Waterville College. 

MEMOIR OF Mrs. CHARLOTTE SUT- 
TON, late Missionary to India. Originally com- 
piled by Rev. J. G. Pike ; now revised and enlarged 
by her husband. Rev. Amos Sutton. With a like- 
ness. 

LIFE OF PHILIP MELANCTHON, 

comprising an account of the most important trans- 
actions of the REFORMATION. By F. A. Cox, 
D.D. L.L.D., of London ; from the Second London 
Edition, with important alterations, by the author, 
for this edition. 

This volume is written in an exceedingly interesting 
style, andj in addition to tli^ life and character of this 
great and good man, it contains a vast amount of impor- 
tant facts, connected with the Reformation, and is^ cal- 
culated to shed much light on several of the topics agita- 
ted at the present day. The editor in his preface says, 
" Seekcndorf, Dupiuj Mosheim, Camesarius, Melchior^ 



25 



Mam, Boyle, Brucker, and other writers have been care^* 
fully consulted in addition to many original and most 
valuable documents to which I have had access in the 
British Museum ; the facts therefore professed to be 
communicated, may be deemed authentic. 

THE GREAT TEACHER : Character- 
istic of our Lord's Ministry, by Rev. John HarriS; 
of Epsom, England, with an Introductory Essay, by 
Rev. Dy. Humphrey, President of Amherst College. 

'• This is a new work, and is considered a masterly pro- 
duction." 

THE CHRISTIAN LIBRARY, in thir- 
teen volumes. 

It is about six years since this series of religious works 
was commenced by the Publishers. It was their prima- 
ry object to select the most approved books from evan- 
gelic authors ; and by a uniform size and dress, to furnish 
.in attractive set of books for those readers who take an, 
interest in the diffusion of evangelic truth. It is a 
pleasing custom among us to express our feelings of 
friendship to those we love, by the gift of books. Per- 
haps we are not always so particular in choosing such 
presents, as the matter of a book demands. As such 
gifts, especially on Christmas and New Year's holidays, 
are highly prized by those who receive them, it is of 
great importance that they should inculcate the sen- 
timents of the warmest piety and purest morality. 
Whether, therefore, this set of books be purchased to 
enrich a church or family library, or to form a present to 
a friend, for which they have often been chosen, — they 
are recommended for the soundness of their doctrine, 
the richness of their style, and the variety of objects 
which they present. 

Does the sinner need to be aroused from his criminal 
and dangerous lethergy, let him listen to the Call of 

3 



26 



Baxter, and he will soon find himself a close compln* 
ion with Mr. Reach's Consideration and Thovghtful, who 
are conspicuous persons in the Travels of true God- 
liness. Do Christians wish to anticipate, in some de- 
gree, the joys of Heaven, let them enter into the spirit 
of Baxter's Saint's Rest ; and if they are panting to 
follow the steps of their Redeemer, they will read v*^ith 
profit Thomas A. Kempis' Imitati^on of Christ. Is it 
their desire to become useful members of the church, 
and to walk in sweet communion with their brethren, 
the able Mr James has furnished them with a safe 
Guide. Do their spirits languish under the loss of free 
communion with their Saviour, they will soon find free 
access to the throne of grace, by receiving the Aids to 
Devotion, from Watts, Bickersteth, and Henry. Is 
any Christian desirous of being more active in the 
world, and a shining light in the church, let him Con- 
template THE Christian, which the fervid Mr. Jay, 
portrays in his admirable Lectures, and in every situa- 
tion of life, from the closet to the grave, he will find a 
model worthy of imitation. These Lectures never fail 
to aflfect the heart of every reader. Those who are fond 
of narratives cannot read Cox's Scripture Female Bi- 
ography, without much edification. It is a work of 
sterling merit. Do any feel it their duty to be more ac- 
tively engaged in the work of benevolence, they will re- 
ceive a salutary impulse by following Howard, the 
philanthropic Christian. All who wish to be enriched 
by perusing pious and wise Maxims, will read with 
pleasure the admired Cecil. Those who are pleased 
with the flowers of Christian Rhetoric, will be charmed 
by the Beauties of Collyer. And such as are striv- 
ing to surmount the difficulties which lie in their path 
to Heaven, will receive fresh encouragement by Hall's 
Help to Zion's Travellers. 

This Library may, in truth, be termed a vocabulary of 
Christian admonition and duties. A revievv^er remarks, 
— " The volumes of this Library are sold low, with a 
view to its extensive and permanent circulation." This 



27 



remark has been verified in the sale of more than 80,000 
copies. 

[0=" Each book is numbered, and sold inlets, or sepa- 
rately at 62 cts. singly. 

From numerous recommendations to all the volumes, 
we have added a short extract to each of them. 

1. BAXTER'S CALL to the UNCON- 

verted, to which are added several valuable Essays. 
By Richard Baxter. With an introductory Es- 
say, by Thomas Chalmers, D.J), 

From the Sabbath School Treasury. 

This Call is too well known to need the approbation of 
a reviewer. We rejoice to see the book in its present 
neat, cheap dress. Its intrinsic worth and form will 
doubtless soon give it a place in most of the Sabbath 
school libraries in our land. Tliis, and the Saint's Rest, 
are worth hundreds of the moral and religious fictions 
of the present day. 

2. BAXTER'S SAINT'S REST. By 
Rev. Richard Baxter. Abridged by B. Faw- 
CETT, A. M. 

From the Rev. Dr, Wayland, President of Broicn Uni- 
versity. 

I am gratified to perceive that you have published a 
handsome edition of Baxter's Saint's Rest. Of the val- 
ue of the work itself it is superfluous to speak. It has 
fev/ equals in any language. The ordinary copies are 
most palpably beneath the value of the work. 

3. The IMITATION of CHRIST. In 

Three Books. By Thomas A. Kempis. With an 
Introductory Essay, by Thomas Chalmers, of Glas- 



28 



i^ow. A new Edition, edited by Howard Malcom 
Pastor of the Federal Street Baptist Church, Boston. 

This work has for three hundred years been esteemed 
one of the best practical books in existence, and has 
gone through a vast number of editions, not only in the 
original Latin, but in every language in Europe. 

4. MEMOIRS of HOWARD. Compiled 
from his Diary, his Confidential Letters, and oth- 
er authentic Documents. By James B. Brown. 
Abridged by a Gentleman of Boston, from the Lon- 
don quarto edition. 

From the JYeio England Christian Herald. 

^^ The character of this great philanthropist cannot be 
contemplated but with feelings of the deepest respect 
and admiration. In the character of Howard, there was 
a wonderful exhibition of the spirit and power of Chris- 
tianity. For the sole purpose of relieving the distresses 
of the most wretched of the human race, he spent six- 
teen or seventeen years of his life, at an expense to him- 
self of 133,000 dollars ! and travelled between fifty and 
sixty thousand miles. We advise our readers to pur- 
chase the book." 

5. The CHURCH MEMBER'S GUIDE. 

By J. A. James, A. M. Birmingham, England. Ed- 
ited by J. O. Choules, A. M. Pastor of the First 
Baptist Church in New Bedford, Mass. 

From the Christian Secretary. 

^^ The spontaneous efi*usion of our heart, on laying the 
book down, was — may every church member in our 
land soon possess this book, and be blessed with all the 
happiness which conformity to its evangelic sentiment^ 
and directions is calculated to confer." 



29 



6. JAY'S LECTURES. The Christian con- 
templated : ill a Course of Lectures delivered in Ar- 
gyle Chapel, Bath. By William Jay, 

From the Sabbath School Treasury. 

Every Christian must consider this book as a rich trea- 
sure. Mr. Jay's apphcation of Scripture through all 
these lectures, is interesting beyond any thing we have 
seen. The third lecture which contemplates the Chris- 
tian in the family, should be read and studied by every 
parent and Sabbath school teacher who wishes to know 
and do his whole duty. 

7. AIDS to DEVOTION, in three parts. 
Including Watts' Guide to Prayer. 

From the Journal of Humanity, Andover, 

'^ This volume has been on our table for some weeks^ 
during which time we have often referred to it with profit. 
ft is a valuable elementary book on the subject of pray- 
er, worthy the study of every Christian who wishes to 
cultivate this gift, whether for the purpose of private de- 
votion, or for its public exercise." 

8. TRAVELS of TRUE GODLINESS. 
By the Rev. Benjamin Keach, London. Revis- 
ed and Improved ; with occasional Notes, and a 
Memoir of his Life. By Howard Malcom, A. M. 

The lovers of allegorical writers will be highly grati- 
fied with the perusal of this interesting work. In point 
of theological accuracy, devout temper, and useful ten- 
dency, the Travels of True Godliness may bear compar- 
ison with Pilgrim's Progress. The admirers of Bunyan 
cannot fail to be pleased with Reach. 

9 and 10. FEMALE SCRIPTURE BL 

ography. Including an Essay on what Christianity 

3=^ • 



30 



has done for Women. By F. A. Cox, D.D. L.L.D* 
In two volumes. 

From the Christian Watchman. 

^'' We have examined with great deUght this valuable 
and interesting work. To the mothers and daughters in 
Israel, these volumes will be a most acceptable offering ; 
containing, as they do, the recorded lives of almost all 
their own sex who are distinguished on the sacred page 
from the mother of mankind downward to the mother 
of Christ, and embodying lessons of wisdom and warn- 
ing to guide under all the various trials and temptations 
of life. It contains a great deal of useful learning, in- 
terwoven with its narratives, thus making history ap- 
pear in its loveliest light — the handmaid of religion. 

11. BEAUTIES OF COLLYER. Selec- 
tions from Theological Lectures. By Rev. W. B* 

CoLLYER, D.D. F.A.S. 

[O" The merits of Dr. Collyer are thus noticed by an 
eminent reviewer : — '' His researches, his various learn- 
ing, his accumulation of interesting facts, his presenting 
old and familiar truths in a new and striking manner, 
entitle him to rank high as a theological writer. His 
style is remarkably elegant and polished, and there is a 
rich vein of evangelical piety running through all his 
works." Indeed this book contains a rich treasure of 
truth upon seventy subjects, for all classes of readers. 
It is as well calculated to give youth a taste for reading, 
as it is to encourage the mature Christian in his course 
of duty, and to confirm his hopes of a happy immor- 
tahty. 

12. The REMAINS of REV. RICHARD 
CECIL, M. A. To which is prefixed a VieM^ of 
his Character, by Josiah Pratt, B.D. F.A.S. 

OTF This work has been so long before the public, and 



3i 

So highly esteemed for its originality of pious thoughlj 
that it is unnecessary to say anything in its favor. 

13. HELP to ZION'S TRAVELLERS. 
By Robert Hall, late of Arnsby. With a Preface 
by Dr. Ryland. Edited by Rev. Mi\ Warne, of 
Brooklme. 

The editor of this well known work says, ^' that it 
stands in no need of a recommendatioR from the pen of 
any man living." The work will be found to be much 
improved by its division into chapters, &c. 

WINCHELL'S WATTS— England. Be- 
ing an arrangement of all the Psalms and Hymns of 
Dr. Watts, with a SupphuDent of additional Hymns, 
adapted to Prayer Meetings, Missionary Meetings, 
&:c. 

The work is printed in 12, 18, and 32mo size, on good 
paper, and from handsome stereotype plates. 

The Arrangement contains 687 Hymns, and the Sup- 
plement, 533; making in ail 1220 Hymns, including a 
variety of almost every metre now in use. 

It has been highly recommended by the Baptist Asso- 
ciations, and by the following Clergymen : 

Doctors, Chaplin, late Pres. of Waterville College. 
Chaplin, Pres. Columbian College. 
L. BoLLEs, Sec. Bap. Board For. Miss. 
D. Sharp, Pastor 3d Bap. Churchy Boston, 
J. Going, Sec. Bap. Home Mission, N. Y. 

Professors, Ira Chase, Newton Inst. 
H. J. Ripley, - '' 
J. D. Knowles, ^' '' 
Solomon Peck, late of Amherst College. 
John Pratt, Granville Institution. 

Rev. Messrs. Bela Jacobs, East Cambridge. — D. 
Benedict, Pawtucket. — T. B. Ripley, Woburn. — H. 
Malcom, Federal Street Churchy Boston, — B. Stow, 2d 



3f 



Sap. Church, Boston.— W. Hague, 1st Bap. Chareb^ 
Boston. — H. Jackson, Charlestown. — W. Leverett^ 
Roxbury.— G. F. Davis, Hartford, Ct.— J. A. Warne, 
BrookHne, Mass. — N. W. Williams, Newburyport. — J. 
O. Choules, New Bedford — B. F. Farnsworth, Provi- 
dence, R. I. — E. W. Freeman, Lowell, Mass.— J. N. 
Brown, Exeter, N. H. 

The work is generally introduced into the Baptist 
Churches throughout New England. 



SABBATH SCHOOL BOOKS. 



MALCOMS BIBLE DICTIONARY.— 

Stereotyped and Enlarged. A Dictionary of the 
most important Names, Objects, and Terms found in 
the Holy Scriptures. Intended principally for Sun- 
day School Teachers and Bible Classes. By How- 
ard Malgom, a. M. Illustrated by thirty-nine en- 
gravings on wood, a map of Palestine, and an ele- 
gant copperplate frontispiece* 

Every thing has been extracted from Paxton, Brown^ 
Gurney, Wood, Newton, Calmet, Whitby, Wells, Car- 
penter, Harmer, Harris, Home, Jones, and Jahn, which 
was thought pertinent. Gazetteers, Voyages, Travels^ 
Missionary Reports, Natural Histories, Commentaries; 
and Critical works, have been consulted, and the statis- 
tics brought down to the present time ; by which nu- 
merous errors, which time had created even in standard 
works, are rectified. In fine, no pains, or expense has 
been spared to render the work complete. The work has 
been reprinted in London, and is extensively circulating. 

From the Minutes of the Vermont State Convention. 

^^ Your Committee earnestly recommend Malcom's 
Bible Dictionary, a new work; the worth of which every 



33 



lover of the Bible will feel, and the low price of which 
places it within the reach of the poorest." 

From the Minutes of the Boston Association. 

" Believing that the advantages of Sabbath School and 
Bible Class instruction depend greatly on the intelligence 
of their teachers, and that the extended circulation of 
Malcoin's Bible Dictionary w^ould conduce to their bet« 
ter qualification. Resolved, That this work be recom- 
mended to the patronage of the friends of early religious 
instruction. 

LINCOLN'S SABBATH SCHOOL CLASS 

Book. " The Sabbath School Class Book, compris- 
ing copious exercises on the Sacred Scriptures. By 
E. Lincoln. — Revised and improved by an eminent 
clergyman and a superintendant. 

The present edition has been thoroughly revised and 
enlarged by gentlemen well qualified for the task. The 
book in its present shape, is one of the cheapest and 
most complete of tbe kind now^ in use. Among the ma- 
ny recommendations of the work we select the follow- 
ing, which have been received within a few days. 

From Rev. Dr. Going of JVew York» 

A careful examination of tiie Sabbath School Class 
Book convinced me of its high excellence, and observa- 
tion of its utility in practice has strengthened the convic- 
tion. I therefore fully recommend it as being the best 
work for Sabbath Schools now in use. 

Jonathan Going. 

Gentlemen -.—Having examined your Sabbath Schoo! 
Class Book, it gives us pleasure to express our satisfac- 
tion with its design and execution. The great benefit 
which a good class book accomplishes, consists in guid- 
ing the mind of the scholar in the study of his lesson, 
and in suggesting topics of conversation to the teacher.. 



34 



To this end we think your work is well adapted, having- 
avoided in a great degree the evils of extreme redun- 
dance or conciseness. 



W. Hague, 

C. P. Grosvenor, 

L. BOLLES, 



E. Thresher, 

H. Malcom, 
Baron Stow. 



A GUIDE TO CONVERSATION ON 

the New Testament, designed for the use of Bible 
Classes and Sabbath Schools. By Rev. William 
Hague. 

Vol. I. — Containing the Gospel according to St Mat- 
thew. 

The object of this work is tico-fold. — 1st. To facilitate 
the efforts of the teachers in communicating instruction 
to their classes. 2d. To excite a spirit of inquiry 
amongst the classes themselves. To this end, such 
questions are asked, as are adapted to lead the mind to 
think, and only such as the scholar, with the Bible in his 
hand, may be expected to answer, by the aid of his own 
reflecting power. The questions are interspersed with 
familiar remarks, which are designed to convey to the 
scholar, such information as may not be within his 
reach, and also to keep up a continuous conversation be- 
tween the teacher and the class. 

LINCOLN'S SCRIPTURE QUESTIONS, 

with the Answer annexed, giving in the language of 
the Sacred Volume, interesting portions of the His- 
tory, and a concise view of the Doctrines and Du- 
ties exhibited in the Bible. 

Where Bibles cannot be furnished to each scholar, the 
Scripture Questions may be used with convenience, as 
the answers are printed. 

JUVENILE HARMONY, containing Ap- 
propriate Uymiis and Music, for Sabbath Schools^ 



3"S 



Sabbath School Anniversaries and family Devotioli* 
By N. D. Gould, 

This little work contains the Rudiments of Music, set 
forth in a plain familiar manner, so that persons little 
versed in the scitnce of music may understand, so as to 
be able to teach Children and Youth in this interesting 
and increasingly popular branch of education. The 
music, which is mostly original, is simple, yet chaste; 
the toords are appropriate, and the form and execviinn of 
the work such, as to render it attractive. — Its remarka- 
ble cheapness too, we think must recommend it to every 
one desiring such a work. It contains thirty-one Tvnts 
and sixty -three Hymvs, and is sold at the very low price 
of $10 per hundred or 12 1-2 cts single. 



The NATIONAL CflURGH HARMONY, 

Containing tunes calculated for public worship, An- 
thems and Select Pieces, for Fasts, Thanksgivings, 
Cbristmasts, Missionary Meetings, Ordinations, Ded- 
ications, Anniversaries, &c. &c. &c., by N. D, Gould, 
new stereotyped edition, enlarged* 

The publishers have been induced, in consequence 
of the very liberal patronage bestowed upon this work, 
to -ddd toil fovrtecM jjrs (res cf new music, in addition to 
the former supplement, without increase of price. 

The work now contains 250 psalm tunes, giving a 
large variety, adopted to every metre of sacred poetry 
found in books used in any of our churches. It also 
contains 80 Anthems 3.nd select pieces, including the com- 
positions of more than one hundred different anihors. 

The new plan adopted for this work of placing the 
full harmony on the Bass and Treble staff, in sntail notes, 
has been highly commended, and will readily be acknowl- 
edged of important advantage to all those who play the 
Organ and Piano Forte. 

The conciseness and clearness of the Rudiments — 
the adaptation of additional words to the common tunes, 
to give variety, and prevent the scholar from learning 
Time, Accent, Tune- words J &c. by note too, xnust also 



he an advantage perceived by every teacher and choris?- 
ter. 

The metrical tunes are so arranged that on most of the 
pages will be found two of a different character. 

As the work is stereotyped, the public will not be per^ 
flexed by constant changes, as none will be made, except 
the addition of tunes, which all can have, and the cor^ 
rection of typosfraphical errors which may occur. 

The work is printed on good paper, from handsome 
type, and is in every way manufactured in the best man- 
ner. 

The publishers have received numerous testimoniafe 
in favor of the work. 



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